Dino Charge: Prehistoric Rising
by thunderyoshi
Summary: Millions of years ago, powerful crystals known as Energems were given to 12 dinosaurs to protect from the bounty hunter Sledge. Now, Sledge has returned to Earth to collect, and it's up to Teddie, Chase, and their new team to find and protect them, as everything seems much more entwined than they realised.
1. Powers of the Past

**I have been dying to get into this, pretty much since I first started watching Dino Charge. And since I've finished writing my Night at the Museum fic, I've decided I'm going to put some focus on this, as it's all I've been wanting to write.  
**

 **I hope you like it!**

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Chapter 1: Powers of the Past

The warm sun shone down over the city of Amber Beach; a sunny, pleasant day that had anyone who wasn't working outside enjoying the warm weather. Standing in the back garden of her still new home, a teenager with hair pulled back in long black pigtails practised moves that had her almost gliding through the grass.

"Hey Teddie!" as she landed, crouched low, the young woman glanced around to see her mother sticking her head out of the window. "Aren't you supposed to be on your way to the museum now?" Ari asked her. Teddie frowned, standing up to full height. Despite the rest of her family's height, Teddie only reached 5'4, leaving her the smallest.

"What? What time is it?" grabbing the towel lying on the table nearby, she rubbed her face with it.

"Uh," Ari checked her watch. "Half 9," Teddie's brown eyes widened in alarm.

"What? Dammit!" she groaned, rushing back inside. "Where's Chase? He was supposed to let me know when he was about to leave!" she complained as she ran through the kitchen.

"Don't run in the house Teddie," Ari spoke as she closed the window over. "Chase left an hour ago," she added, and heard Teddie's wail of irritation as she banged about upstairs, going to grab a shower. "Don't forget you've got that expedition with Ms. Morgan at twelve," she called up the stairs, and laughed to herself. "Well, she's definitely my daughter," Ari couldn't help but say aloud, grabbing her computer and opening it. She checked the messages that flashed up, and sighed heavily with a shake of her head.

It was coming up on ten years, that Mack, her former team-mate, had disappeared without a trace on an expedition. Nobody who had been on the dig with him knew anything more than he had disappeared in the caves where a supposed treasure was located. When his dad, as well as Rose, Ari, and the other Overdrive Rangers, had looked, all they'd found was a wreckage after a cave-in, and no sign of the former Red Ranger.

"This sucks!" Teddie cried as she banged out of the shower a few minutes later, smelling a lot better than she had done. She tugged on her shorts and a white top, before hurrying down the stairs as she pulled her favourite dark green jacket on over it. Ari glanced up from her phone as Teddie tucked the stone hanging from her neck under her shirt.

"Maybe start setting alarms?" the woman suggested, her amused smile only serving to embarrass Teddie further.

"You're mean," she complained. Ari couldn't help but laugh.

"And used to being on the other end of this," she commented, sending a text to Xander before sliding her phone into her pocket. "I'll be at the base later, so let me know if you find anything at the dig site," Ari requested.

"Will do," Teddie nodded as she pulled her boots on. "It's a triceratops we're searching for, right?" she asked.

"Yup. Ethan will be happy," Ari's voice was light, only paying slight attention as she read over a news article. Teddie couldn't help but smile at the comment, before calling out a goodbye and leaving the house.

Grabbing her bike, Teddie strapped on her helmet and began to cycle out of the garden and down the street, and despite the rush, she couldn't help but smile as a gentle breeze brushed against her gently.

It had been a little over two months since she'd moved to Amber Beach with Chase, and she couldn't help but love it. It was warmer than Briarwood, and at times seemed a little quieter, and definitely more normal without magical creatures roaming around. But she did miss her home. She missed being so close to the magical dimension and her friends and family there. She put a hand to her chest, and felt the crystal that was hidden under her shirt. A wave of determination passed her, and she sped up. She was needed in Amber Beach. Home would be there when she was finished.

"Whoa!" a young man gasped as Teddie almost veered into him after leaving her bike in the back.

"Sorry dude!" Teddie called as she glanced around at the startled young man. He had a mop of black hair, and his brown eyes were wide in an expression Teddie found vaguely familiar. "You alright?" she asked as she backed up towards the entrance of the museum.

"Yeah," his surprise faded and he smiled at her. The familiarity of him grew slightly and Teddie tilted her head. Then she remembered the reason for her rush.

"Oh! Gotta go! Sorry again!" Teddie turned and ran off. Watching her for a moment, he hummed to himself, finding her familiar too, minus the accent. He didn't know anyone from New Zealand.

"You're late!" Chase called as Teddie ran into the restaurant. She glanced to her brother, who was taller than her and, like their older brother, resembled their father, with the easy smile and laid back attitude. His eyes were dark brown, like her own, but his hair was brown, whereas she had inherited her mother's black hair.

"Maybe I wouldn't have been, had you reminded me!" Teddie snapped at him as she passed, and grabbed her apron from the back before attaching the name tag to her shirt. By her name, there was a picture of a Compsognathus, silhouetted out against the white of the badge.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, I was talking to Amy about a date tonight," Teddie rolled her eyes and took the piece of paper from Chase.

"I thought you were seeing...what's her name...Megan?" Teddie tried.

"Nah, didn't work out," Chase shook his head.

"Of course it didn't," Teddie sighed, not surprised. Her brother was atrocious for being what she called a 'serial dater'. She couldn't keep up half the time. It was exhausting.

"Hi Teddie," she looked around and smiled brightly up at the tall, deceptively young-looking man with black hair. He wore a blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of cargo shorts; his usual attire that he seemed to have several of, which showed off his muscular build.

"Hey Koda," Teddie greeted.

"You late today," he commented as he stood in front of the grill and took the order from her. Teddie blushed, and Chase snickered as he passed through.

"Yeah, thanks to a certain airhead," Teddie glared at her twin brother.

"Hey, you're always late, it's not just my fault," Chase replied with a pleasant smile, taking the plates that Koda passed him and left.

"Why late Teddie?" Koda asked her curiously.

"I got too focused on training, lost track of time," she explained.

"Oh," Koda nodded, and smiled brightly. "I do too, Kendall always remind me," he nodded. Teddie laughed as she took another order from another waitress and read it out to Koda.

"I'll get more from the freezer," she told him. Koda smiled gratefully at her, and Teddie headed off, narrowly missing the young woman who walked in. "Oh, sorry Shelby," Teddie smiled at her. "I swear, I'm trying to kill someone today," she chuckled.

"It's okay, I wasn't paying attention either," Shelby smiled back at her. Her eyes then gleamed as she watched Teddie open the large freezer door. "Hey Teddie..." she started, following the young Ninja as she stepped into the industrial freezer to get more burgers.

"Yes, Shelby?" Teddie couldn't help but laugh, knowing what she was after.

"You guys are going on a dig today, right?" she asked as Teddie lifted the burgers and some buns. She hummed and nodded in confirmation, turning to leave. "Well, I was wondering..." Shelby continued to follow her out.

"Sorry Shelby, you know I haven't any say in the digs. It's up to Ms. Morgan," Teddie gave her an apologetic smile. She knew how desperate the young woman was to get out and help with archaeological digs. She had one of the most extensive knowledges of dinosaurs that Teddie had ever known, with only Kendall and Doctor Oliver beating her out. Shelby sighed, pulling her black hair from her face.

"I guess. But she's _never_ going to let me," she complained as she pulled on her apron.

"Give it time Shelby. Prove you're good at waiting tables, earn her respect," Teddie told her. Shelby arched an eyebrow.

"As a waitress?" she asked dryly. Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

"Give it time," she repeated, and Shelby huffed as Teddie put the frozen food into the fridge.

"Teddie!" her smile faded and she groaned.

"Let me guess, late again?" Shelby smiled knowingly.

"Teddie always late!" Koda laughed from the grill.

"You guys suck," Teddie declared, turning and walking out of the kitchen to face Kendall Morgan, the owner of the Dinosaur Museum, and Teddie's boss. "Hi Ms. Morgan-"

"You were late again," Kendall cut straight to the point. "You can't keep doing this Teddie, I can't cover for you forever," she scolded. Teddie flushed.

"But...you're the boss," she frowned at the brunette who was a few years older than her. She always seemed very serious, but when she came across something new to do with what they were doing, she always forgot her composure and her real passion showed through.

"Yes, and just how do I explain it to say, Shelby, if she's late every date for two weeks straight?" Kendall challenged. Teddie hesitated. "How can I fire her when you've done the same?" she asked. Teddie looked away. She knew she was right. It wasn't fair.

"Sorry Ms. Morgan. It won't happen again," Teddie vowed.

"Make sure it doesn't, Teddie," Kendall told her, and seeing Teddie's expression, she sighed. Adjusting her glasses, Kendall relaxed slightly. "I believe you can do it Teddie. Just be more aware of time," she told her, and Teddie nodded.

"Thanks, Ms. Morgan," she managed a small smile, and rushed back into the kitchen to continue helping. Kendall sighed, shaking her head slightly, wondering just how they'd coped so far.

* * *

Sitting on a crate with a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other, Teddie hummed to herself and occasionally scribbled down more, sometimes scratching out what she'd written before.

" _Still, this is the final frontier,_

 _Everything is so clear,_

 _To my destiny I-_ whoa!" Teddie's quiet singing was interrupted as the crate she was sitting on was lifted into the air and carried over to the truck. "Koda!" she couldn't help but laugh as the caveman set the crate down.

"Oh, sorry Teddie!" he smiled up at her. Still laughing, Teddie jumped down, and saw Chase walk into view with more equipment. As she went to greet him, she saw Shelby following, and laughed again, shaking her head.

"No can do," Chase told the passionate girl as she pleaded for him to let her come along. "Museum policy," he reminded her. Shelby huffed as Teddie lifted a crate and brought it out.

"Koda!" Shelby spotted the caveman as he easily carried another crate in one hand. "Look what I've brought," his eyes lit up and he set the crate down. "Your favourite Bronto Burger. Rare," Shelby waved it in front of him, and pulled it back as Koda snatched for it.

"She's never going to give up on this, is she?" Chase asked Teddie as they loaded up the truck while watching.

"Oh, never," Teddie shook her head as they walked over to the rest of the crates.

"Ms. Morgan!" Shelby, who was now on top of a large crate that Koda had lifted and put onto the truck, spotted the owner of the museum. Kendall looked up from trying to clean her jacket, which now had soup on it.

"I think your party in Booth 4 is missing a dinner roll," Kendall rolled her eyes as she tossed the napkin in the bin and set her things down in the back of the truck with the crates. "And no, you can't come," she added as Shelby went to speak.

"Museum policy," Shelby echoed what Kendall said.

"Still not giving up," Teddie told her brother as she took a seat on another crate and opened her notebook. Koda belched, making Teddie giggle as Chase attempted to balance his skateboard on his head. Kendall, who was watching them, sighed heavily as Shelby raised an eyebrow, wondering just how the three had managed to get onto the crew.

"Guys," Kendall snapped as she walked past them. "Let's go?" she raised an eyebrow, and the three quickly followed her to get into the truck.

* * *

"Triceratops, triceratops," Teddie sang to herself as they set up the dig site. "We found us a Pink Triceratops," she sang as she lifted a crate and brought it over.

"Teddie, really?" Chase frowned at her. The roar of the machines was loud, drowning out most of the noise around them, which was setting both him and his sister on edge. It was throwing off their senses and it made them both nervous.

"Sorry, just kinda hyped that we found it," she shrugged as she lifted the lid of the crate.

"Yeah, I can get that," Chase agreed, lifting the Pink crystal to the light. It shone brightly despite the poor light, and the young man grinned, before handing it to Teddie. "That's one more found," he said as she examined it curiously, before placing it into the crate and closing it over. She brought it over to the truck and set it down, before turning and walking back over, humming to herself.

"I wonder if there are any others around here," Teddie commented, looking around as she rested a hand on her hip.

"Teddie, if you wander off, we _will_ leave you behind," Chase warned her as he saw her look around.

"One time!" she blushed. With a laugh, Chase joined Koda in continuing to dig up the rest of the Triceratops skeleton they'd found.

"He's getting away!" Teddie's head lifted as she barely caught the shout, turning around, her eyes widened as she saw Shelby on top of the truck, shouting at them and indicating in another direction.

"What are you _doing_ here?!" Teddie ran over to her. "Ms. Morgan is going to-"

"Never mind that! Some guy just stole a crate!" Shelby interrupted her. "We need to stop him," Teddie frowned, before realising what was missing from the truck.

"No, no no!" she groaned, looking around. "Shelby, stay here, I'll-" before Teddie could finish, Shelby had jumped down from the truck and was running after the cloaked figure running off. "Great," she sighed, running after her. The two ran and ducked behind a bush, making the figure look up.

"Who's that?!" he roared, looking around, but didn't see anyone. He sighed. "I must be hearing things," he grumbled, and turned around to see Shelby grab the crate. "Hey! Get back here!" he roared, blasting at Shelby. Teddie kicked him from the side, and the cloaked figure tumbled to the ground.

"That's what you get for stealing things!" she shouted, and ran after Shelby, catching up to her as they ran through the forest. One blast got close to Shelby, knocking the crate from her hands, and knocking her and Teddie to the ground.

"No-one steals from me!" the cloaked figure roared as he approached the crate.

"Think again!" another figure swung through the air on a vine, grabbing the crate. The figure roared furiously again as the newcomer landed beside Teddie and Shelby.

"You okay?" he asked, helping Shelby to her feet as Teddie got up.

"It's you, the guy from the museum," Teddie recognised the young man in a red shirt, dirt streaked across his face.

"And you're the girl from the museum who nearly ran me over," he recognised, smiling at her despite the situation. "Hi. I'm Tyler, nice to meet you...uh," he saw the name tag on Shelby's shirt. "Shelby Triceratops, catchy name," he laughed.

"Where'd you come from?" Shelby demanded.

"Oh, you know, just in the neighbourhood," Tyler smiled back.

"Uh, we're in the middle of the forest," Teddie raised an eyebrow at him. "There is no neighbourhood around here," Tyler just laughed and held the crate out to Shelby.

"I believe this is yours," he offered.

"I don't have to hide!" the figure pulled off his cloak to reveal an ice-like monster with massive blue claws. "Time to destroy you!" he declared. Teddie swallowed, her eyes widening. This monster was new to her.

"What is that thing?" Shelby gulped, drawing closer to Tyler subconsciously.

"Dunno. Met him in a cave," Tyler raised his fists in a fighting stance. "But he sure wants that box," he commented.

"You guys need to get out of here," Teddie told them as she turned to them. "I'll hold him off. Koda and Chase are that way, go find them," she warned.

"What? And leave you against this creep alone?" Tyler stared at her. "No way!" he refused. Teddie groaned.

"Of all the days to find a hero. Just go!" she pleaded, but he grabbed the shovel from the side of his large backpack.

"What, you're gonna dig us an escape tunnel?" Shelby demanded, and the creature blasted them. Tyler deflected it with his shovel, and grinned.

"Cool," he commented. With a growl, the monster blasted them again, but Tyler deflected each blow before batting one back at the monster. Teddie stared at Tyler, amazed. Even with a shovel, the power needed to throw back the shot didn't seem normal. "Score!" Tyler laughed.

"Nice hit," Shelby nodded.

"Um..." Teddie pointed at the shovel, and their smiles fell as they saw that the shovel was mostly destroyed, and what was left was on fire.

"You'll pay for that!" the monster got back up.

"Uh...your turn for an idea," Tyler said as he tossed the melted shovel aside and fell back into a fighting stance. Shelby stared at him.

"Uh..." she gulped, and stepped forwards. "Fire at us, and you might destroy your precious...thing in this crate," she threatened. Teddie closed her eyes, sighing.

"You know what's in the crate?" Tyler asked her quietly.

"I have no idea," Shelby admitted.

"What I want will survive!" the monster told them. "You won't!" he blasted them, and the three were thrown off their feet. As Teddie landed a small distance away from them, the Pink crystal rolled out of the crate, and when Teddie looked up, her eyes widened as she saw a Red one just like it land in front of Tyler. " _Two_ Energems! This is better than I'd hoped!" he laughed, and as Shelby and Tyler reached for the glowing crystals, the monster froze them.

"No!" Teddie cried, getting to her feet. "Hey icicle brain, guess what!" she called, earning his attention. "There's actually _three_ Energems here!" she revealed her own White crystal that hung from around her neck. The monster inhaled in his shock. "And guess what?" Teddie pulled a small device from her pocket and smirked. "I know how to use it! ENERGISE!" she activated the charger, and inserted it into a blaster that materialised in her hand. "UNLEASH THE POWER!" the power surrounded Teddie, and when the light faded, she was left in a White suit.

"No!" the monster roared.

"Oh yeah!" Teddie laughed, and spun the side of her blaster. "Dino Morpher Blast!" Teddie fired a white blast that knocked the monster flying. Hearing a pulse of energy, she looked around, and her eyes widened to see the ice around the two had shattered, and they held the Red and Pink Energems. "But how?" she wondered, tilting her head. They lifted the Energems, which were shining even brighter, and Teddie stared at them. "They bonded to the Energems," she realised, and what looked like fossilised blasters appeared in their hands.

"What is this?" Shelby asked.

"Put the Energems into the front," they looked around quickly, and stared at Teddie.

"A Power Ranger?" Tyler gaped at her.

"Just do it," Teddie rolled her eyes and gestured to the front of her own blaster. Tyler did as she instructed, and the fossilisation fell away, revealing the real blaster underneath as it flashed red. Shelby then did the same, and her own blaster was revealed. "No, wait-" Teddie started as Tyler spun the side of his, making it flash red, before a red blast shot out and hit the monster.

"Nice shooting," Shelby rolled her eyes, having been narrowly missed.

"Sorry, I don't know how to use this thing," Tyler apologised.

"What did you do?" Shelby asked him as she stood out of the way of his aim.

"I just started spinning the thing and it started working I guess," the two began to do so, and Teddie laughed to herself.

"This is gonna be good," she commented, watching as they aimed at the monster and fired. To their surprise, the pink and red blasts curved up into the air, flying around before coming right back at them. They cried out in alarm, before the light surrounded them.

"What in the world?" Shelby gasped.

"They've become Rangers!" the monster cried out.

"Oh yeah! Which means you have _no_ Energems to steal," Teddie aimed her blaster at him.

"What happened to us? I feel a surge of power," Shelby looked down at her gloved hands.

"Me too! It's awesome!" Tyler laughed.

"Give me those Energems!" the monster roared.

"No way!" Tyler shook his head.

"Guys, the three of us should be able to take him if we work together," Teddie called to the two, who nodded.

"Right!" Shelby and Tyler nodded. The three fell into fighting stances, and then leapt into the air to avoid his shot, and began to fight him. Working together, the three threw the monster around like a ragdoll, with Tyler and Shelby laughing, giddy at the power.

"Triple punch!" the three punched the monster and he crashed to the ground. "You're right, this is awesome!" Shelby smiled. "I've never felt such pow-" the ground suddenly shook, and they looked around in surprise.

"What _is_ that thing?" Tyler gasped as they looked up at the massive red mechanical Tyrannosaurus that approached with a loud roar.

"It's the T-Rex Zord!" Teddie smiled. "It must have woken up when you bonded to the Energem," she told Tyler.

"Uh, what?" he blinked at her, not understanding anything she was saying.

"Look out!" the three dove aside, demorphing and watching as the T-Rex grabbed the monster in its jaws. After shaking him around, he then tossed the monster away into the distance, making them laugh. With another roar, the Zord then stomped off, leaving the three.

"You alright?" Tyler asked, helping Shelby up.

"Did we just fight an abominable snowman and almost get trampled by a _t-rex_?" Shelby demanded.

"Yep," Tyler smiled.

"Okay, just checking," Shelby sighed. "And Teddie, _you're_ a _Power Ranger_?" she demanded, turning to Teddie as the dark haired girl brushed herself off. The White Energem hung over her shirt as she smiled at them.

"It's kind of an odd story," she nodded, before looking around as she heard a truck. "No...Chase..." Teddie groaned, her smile disappearing as she realised their ride back to town was gone. And while she could have gotten back herself quickly, she couldn't exactly leave the two others behind. "Well, there goes our ride," Teddie glanced to Shelby, who groaned, before turning to Tyler.

"You had a rope, shovel...you wouldn't happen to have a car?" she asked hopefully, and Tyler jingled the keys in his hand with a grin.

* * *

"So Teddie," Shelby started as they drove back towards the museum. "Can you please explain what is going on? What are these things?" she asked, lifting the Pink Energem. She looked to Teddie in the back of the jeep.

"Yeah, and how'd they turn us into Rangers? And what was with that T-Rex?" Tyler asked. Teddie, who was looking out at the forests they passed, just smiled.

"Trust me, you're better off waiting until we get back to the museum," she said to them. "I'll explain then, you know, after you explain about stowing away on the back of our truck?" Teddie arched an eyebrow, and Shelby had the decency to blush and look sheepish. "What about you? Why were you out in the forest?" she asked Tyler, who glanced at her quickly.

"Oh, I was up in Samson Caves, I was looking for something," he explained.

"And I'm guessing it wasn't the Red Energem," Teddie grinned.

"No," Tyler laughed, and passed Shelby a notebook. "It was my dad's. He disappeared a long time ago on an expedition. Just vanished. I really miss him. Maybe tomorrow, maybe ten years from now, I'm going to find out what happened to him," the young man said determinedly as Teddie frowned, finding the story as familiar as she found him.

"So you were in the cave looking for clues?" Shelby realised.

"Exactly. His journal says some creature was stalking him," Tyler nodded.

"You think that icy thing was it?" Shelby asked him.

"No..." Tyler shook his head. "I'm looking for...this one," he pointed to the drawing in the notebook. Shelby swallowed, scared by the drawing.

"Yikes...makes the monster we met look like the tooth fairy," Shelby looked up at Tyler, who smiled slightly. "You know, you didn't have to step in back there," she commented as Teddie took the notebook.

"My dad used to say 'helping is always the right thing to do'," he told her.

"This is your dad?" Teddie asked, lifting the photo from the book. Tyler glanced at it, and nodded. Teddie swallowed. No wonder she recognised him, and the story. Before she could say anything, she saw the image in the book, and her eyes widened. "Fury," she murmured, making the two new Rangers frown, not understanding the worry in her voice.

* * *

 **I hope you like it!**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	2. Past, Present and Fusion

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews, and for favouriting and following! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the first chapter, and I hope that continues!  
**

 **This was my day off this week so I managed to get two chapters written, so I figured I'd update!**

 **Hope you like it!**

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Chapter 2: Past, Present and Fusion

Sliding down into the base, Chase held the Black Energem loosely in his fingers, before feeling it pulled from his grasp as it flew into its place in the crystal beds.

"We're back!" he called as Koda followed. The Blue Energem followed the Black, and both shone brightly amongst the crystals as the two approached the woman sitting with a computer, smiling in amusement.

"Where's Kendall?" Ari asked as she looked up at her son and the caveman beside him.

"Getting the Pink Energem from the truck," Chase told her proudly, but his smile faded when Ari chuckled.

"She'll be looking a while for it then," Chase and Koda exchanged confused looks. "Come check it out," she called them over, and the two approached to take a look at the computers. They frowned in confusion.

"But how?" Chase asked, baffled. Ari laughed.

"This is why you _wait_ for your sister," she told him, watching the energy reading of three Rangers heading back to town. White, Red, and Pink. "Better go get Kendall before she has a fit trying to find what wasn't there to begin with," Ari told them. Both still looking very confused, Koda and Chase did as suggested to find their boss. As they did, another signal popped up, and Ari sat forwards, her smile growing.

* * *

"Why would both of these things be in dinosaur fossils?" Shelby asked, holding the Pink and Red Energems as she studied them. They were very similar, except for the colour.

"Maybe the dinosaurs ate them," Tyler suggested. Teddie couldn't help but laugh as Shelby rolled her eyes.

"You aren't serious," she grumbled.

"Totally," Tyler laughed. "You have a theory, Miss Dino-it-all?" he challenged. Teddie arched an eyebrow as she turned away from the scenery to watch them. Shelby just gave a mocking laugh.

"Well, where'd you find yours Teddie?" Shelby asked.

"Huh? Oh, in a dino fossil I found in Briarwood a few months back," Teddie explained, thinking back to when she'd found the White Energem and she and her brother had become the Black and White Rangers. Her eyes then darted to a figure standing at the side of the road by the side of an old scooter.

"What was it your dad said?" Shelby asked as she spotted him too.

"Helping is always..."

"The right thing to do," the three chorused. Tyler laughed at the two girls, before slowing the jeep to a stop. The young man standing at the side of the road glanced up with big eyes, before looking back at the manual in his hands. The engine of the scooter had been disassembled, and looked a little worse for wear.

"Hey, you need a hand?" Tyler called to him.

"Oh, no thanks," he turned around, smiling at them weakly. He only looked around 16, and wore a green shirt under a jacket. "I think I found the problem, I just gotta stick to the old owner's manual and I should-" he was interrupted as a large truck flew by, and a powerful wind ripped the manual from his hands. "Be good to go..." he finished. Blinking rapidly, he looked at the pages that were scattered in the wind, and back at the three in the jeep.

* * *

"If I grew up on a ranch, I'd never leave," Shelby commented as the fourth passenger, whose name was Riley, told them about where he'd come from.

"Yeah, how great is that? Cowboys and round-ups," Tyler smiled, excited at the thought.

"Yeah, more like fixing fences and cleaning pig pens, but..." Tyler laughed at Riley's words.

"I spent some time in something similar while I lived in New Zealand," Teddie smiled at him. Riley glanced to her, surprised. The pretty girl, wearing shorts and a white vest, didn't exactly look like the farming type. But he had to admit, there was something odd about her. She didn't seem like a city girl either.

"You did?" Shelby glanced to her, clearly equally as surprised but less inclined to hold back.

"Yeah, I lived with my grandparents there for like 7 years, and Chase and I had to do stuff like that," Teddie nodded.

"Chase? On a farm? That's even less believable," Shelby shook her head, and Teddie laughed. She couldn't help but agree. But there was definitely a difference between Riley's life on a farm, and her own in the Dunedin Kingdom.

"Hey, something's up," Tyler's smile faded as he spoke, and the other three looked ahead. They found a car flipped upside down, smoking dangerously, and a woman frantically waving them down.

"Help, please!" the woman begged as they stopped. "My husband, he's trapped, please," she sobbed as Teddie leapt from the jeep and over to the car.

"Shelby, make sure she's okay!" the White Ranger called as she landed on her knees at the side of the car. Shelby turned to the woman, whose face was covered in dirt, with tears streaking through it. There was a large cut across her forehead, still bleeding, and her clothes were covered in dirt.

"I'm fine, just some cuts and bruises," the woman insisted as Tyler and Riley crouched beside Teddie.

"Hey there, I'm Teddie," she smiled at the man who seemed barely conscious. "We're gonna get you out of there," he groaned weakly, barely registering her words.

"Guys, it's leaking gas," Riley warned as he saw the liquid pouring out and sniffed it.

"Please, help him," the woman begged as Shelby joined them.

"Come on," Teddie crawled inside.

"Hey, are you crazy?" Riley hissed at her.

"It's the only way to get this thing off him," Teddie shot back, pulling at the seatbelt. "Come on," she hissed again, and white light shone from under her top. The seatbelt came apart in her hand as it snapped, and the man sagged. "Pull him out," she called, crawling back out. As Riley pulled the man free, the other three pushed at the car.

"Come on! We can do this together!" Tyler shouted. "On three! One...two...three!" the four shoved hard. The Energem around Teddie's neck began to shine, as did the ones in Tyler and Shelby's pockets, and what Teddie hadn't expected, was a green light shining from Riley's pocket.

"What in the world?" the woman gasped as the car was lifted high into the air, where it exploded.

"Whoa," Riley blinked as the debris landed nearby. The woman, crouched beside her husband, stared in disbelief. Tyler, Shelby and Riley pulled the Energems from their pockets, staring at them.

"Let me guess," Teddie laughed as she looked at the Green Energem in Riley's hand. She revealed the one around her neck, and his eyes widened as he looked from hers, to Tyler's, to Shelby's. "You're going to the Dino Museum?" she asked, and he nodded slowly. As they headed back to the jeep, sure that the ambulance was on its way, Teddie glanced to the couple, and when she was sure nobody was watching, she murmured under her breath, and for a moment her hands glowed green as she aimed at the couple. The green light hit them, and they blinked rapidly, not too sure what had happened past their car crashing.

* * *

"Go around back, the others should be back and all," Teddie directed Tyler as they reached the Dino Museum.

"Where are we going?" Shelby asked as Tyler pulled up and Teddie jumped out.

"Well..." Teddie smiled. Shelby frowned, getting tired of the lack of answers. She was surprised, then, when Teddie pulled a large tarp down to reveal a massive T-Rex head.

"Awesome!" Tyler laughed, climbing up onto the crate in front of it.

"Cool," Riley blinked up at it.

"Take a pic for me?" Tyler tossed Shelby his phone.

"Really?" Shelby rolled her eyes. Tyler nodded as he climbed inside the open mouth, and Teddie smirked.

"Hey Ty," he glanced to her as her eyes gleamed with mischief. "Pull on that tooth, the one on the back right," she suggested. Confused, Tyler did as suggested, and the panel beneath him seemed to vanish. With a cry, he fell through, and Teddie burst out laughing.

"What just happened? Teddie!" Shelby called to her.

"Come on, this is where we need to go," Teddie laughed as she jumped up and slid down through the mouth.

"Whoa, a secret passage," Riley breathed, following them down. With a groan, Shelby followed them down. She landed on solid ground, and looked around as she approached where the other three were already standing. Tyler and Riley were staring in awe, and Teddie was smiling. "I think it's some kind of lab," Riley commented.

"I've been serving burgers here for a year, never had a clue this was down here," Shelby complained.

"That's the whole point of a secret base," Teddie giggled as she walked past. Shelby frowned, going to question her more, when Tyler spoke up.

"Hey, check this out," they approached the crystal beds, where the Blue and Black Energems were resting.

"Check it," Teddie removed her Energem from its necklace, and held it out loosely. It was pulled from her hand, and balanced perfectly in the crystal beds.

"They're just like ours," Shelby stared at the other two Energems, before lifting her own Energem. It was pulled from her grasp, landing beside Teddie's. Riley and Tyler did the same, and their Energems shot over to stand beside the other four.

"It looks like they're some kind of power source," Riley commented as he looked down at the Chargers in front of the Energems. Teddie returned the ones from her pockets to rest them in front of the White Energem, where a white square with the number 6 indicated its position.

"They are Energems," they looked around quickly as a figure in a red cloak appeared, carrying a staff with a glowing yellow centre. He was almost reptilian in appearance, and startled the three newcomers.

"Stay back," Tyler warned.

"Guys, it's okay," Teddie told them, smiling softly. "This is Keeper, he's the guardian of the Energems," she introduced them.

"I assure you, I'm quite harmless," Keeper raised his hands in defence. "Energems harness untold powers of the universe," raising his staff, he showed the images of himself with 12 different coloured Energems. "Long along, I entrusted them to guardian dinosaurs, but when the dinosaurs went extinct, the Energems were lost," he told them.

"Until we found them," Tyler realised with a smile.

"Exactly," Keeper confirmed. "And the Energems have chosen to bond with you," he told them. The three thought about it, and were hit by flashes of a T-Rex glowing Red, a Triceratops glowing Pink, and a Velociraptor glowing Green.

"Why would they bond to us?" Riley frowned.

"Because you proved yourself to them," they looked around as Ari, followed by Chase and Koda, emerged.

"Koda? Chase?" Shelby blinked, before seeing Kendall approach. "Ms. Morgan?" she frowned. Teddie laughed and stood beside her brother, who nudged her lightly.

"What did you mean, proved ourselves?" Riley asked Ari.

"I mean exactly that," Ari nodded. Shelby shot Teddie a frown, seeing the resemblance of vague answers. "Tyler, the Red Energem chose you because you stepped in to defend strangers against a monster with powers far greater than your own," she told him. Tyler smiled bashfully at her, and she watched him curiously for a moment before turning to Riley. "Riley, you have strength and wisdom, and the courage to protect, of course the Green Energem bonded with you," Riley flushed at the comments. "And Shelby," Ms. Morgan shook her head, looking unimpressed. "While you did stow away on a dig you weren't meant to go on, you fought bravely to protect something because you knew that that creature shouldn't have it," Ari told her. Shelby just shrugged.

"Energems...dinosaur spirits and bonding...I'm sorry, but this all sounds a little unbelievable," Riley turned to look at the Energems.

"Riley," Teddie smiled. "Hold out your hand," she told him. With a frown, Riley did so, and his eyes widened when the Green Energem flew straight back into his grasp. Teddie, Koda and Chase then walked forwards and held out their hands. The Blue, Black and White Energems flew right back to them. They held them out, and images of a Stegosaurus, Parasaur and Compsognathus shone over them like holograms.

"Chase and Teddie bonded to their Energems in Briarwood and came here to find out why," Kendall shot the two looks, still annoyed that they had found her secret base so easily. Ari smirked. "Then we found Koda," Kendall added as the three newcomers approached slowly.

"Welcome to our team," Koda spoke slowly, with a usual friendly smile.

"You're officially Power Rangers," Chase told them as they clipped their Energems to their necklaces. The three laughed in disbelief.

"What...?" Riley asked.

"The Energems have given you magnificent power, and the dinosaur spirits give you strength," Keeper explained.

"Six Energems have been found, but six more are still lost," Kendall gestured to the empty crystal beds. "You must use your new powers to find them before they fall into evil hands," she explained.

"Evil hands? You mean like that _thing_ we fought in the woods?" Shelby stared at her. "You expect _me_ to fight monsters?" she demanded. "Really? I just want to _dig_ for dinosaur bones, not bond to one," she complained. When an alarm suddenly blared, the group looked around quickly.

"What's going on?" Tyler asked as a computer system in the centre of the room brought up an image.

"I'm seeing more seismic activity," Kendall frowned as she stood in front of it. "Same place as earlier," she told them.

"We better take a look then," Chase told them.

"I'm Tyler, and I'm all in," the new Red Ranger grinned.

"Good," Kendall smiled at him.

"This all seems crazy but..." Riley looked down at the Energem in his hand. "I'm in too," he decided, and they all smiled.

"Great," Chase nodded.

"We go now," Koda told them. They all went to leave, before realising Shelby hadn't moved.

"Shelby?" Tyler watched her.

"Hey," Ari put a hand on her shoulder, seeing her fear. "I told you. You fought bravely to save the Pink Energem before, that's why it bonded to you. Now the world needs you, but you're not alone. There are five others here who will be fighting by your side. And when we find the other 6, you'll be unstoppable," she smiled confidently.

"It's her decision Ari," Kendall frowned. "She's right to be hesitant. Clearly this mission is just too dangerous for a waitress," she said, and Shelby scowled. "Go without her," she instructed. Ari smirked again. While Kendall clearly didn't believe in her, Shelby was stubborn, and wouldn't take such words lying down.

"Wait!" Shelby called as they went to leave. "Sure, I'm a little scared. Who wouldn't be? But _I_ know more about dinosaurs than any of you. Fact is, you need me. And I _want_ to help," she glared at Kendall. Teddie giggled.

"Well she's not wrong," she murmured.

"Course not. She's been showing that off since we got here," Chase muttered. Tyler smiled as Shelby joined them. "Don't forget your Dino Chargers," the Black Ranger reminded as he, Koda and Teddie lifted theirs. Curious, Riley lifted his own, and Shelby did the same, calling on her Energem. As they went to leave, Tyler held his hand out, but the Red Energem didn't move. It flashed, changing in levels of brightness as he frowned. One of the computers beeped loudly.

"Something is interfering with the Red Energem power," Kendall realised as she looked at the readings.

"Tyler, you must stay," Keeper instructed.

"But I..." he frowned, staring at the Energem. He then looked to the others, and his expression turned determined. "Okay," he agreed, stepping away and watching as the others ran off.

* * *

"It's gotta be just ahead," Chase called as they ran towards the co-ordinates given to them.

"Something's wrong," Teddie warned as a bad feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. Coming to the top of a hill, the group of five stopped and stared out ahead of them. Teddie then grabbed Koda's arm a split second before the tremors started again, almost knocking them off their feet.

"That's a volcano," Shelby swallowed as she stared out at the smoking pillar ahead of them.

"It's gonna blow any second," Teddie nodded as she straightened up. No sooner had she spoken, did a massive explosion burst free and rock the ground again. They heard a roar, and spotted a massive T-Rex in the distance.

"It's the T-Rex Zord!" Chase realised as it roared again.

"Of course, the tremors earlier must have been when Tyler bonded with his Energem!" Teddie realised.

"You want dinosaurs? Welcome to the Power Rangers," Chase grinned to Shelby as they all stepped forwards to watch the T-Rex Zord race through the forest.

* * *

"Woo, now that's a powerful Zord," Ari commented as Tyler watched beside her, Kendall and Keeper.

"When someone bonds to an Energem, their Zord is awakened," Kendall explained.

"That thing is my...my Zord?" Tyler asked slowly, excited. He remembered Teddie saying something about it before, but it hadn't made much sense.

"Yes, and it's destabilising the Red Energem's power. Something about your connection...just like with Teddie and Chase," Kendall muttered, looking down at the tablet in her hands.

"It's headed to the city," Ari warned, but her eyes were on Tyler as she smiled in amusement. "You're going to need to Morph, Tyler, it's the best way to stabilise the connection," she explained as he turned to her. He tilted his head slightly, seeing her smile. Something about it was familiar, and not just from Teddie.

"These are Dino Chargers," Kendall held out the three devices to Tyler. "I created them to contain the power of each Energem. When a Dino Charger runs out of power, we recharge it here," she gestured to the machines in front of the crystal beds. "It will power your weapons and Morph you into battle mode," Kendall explained.

"I get to Morph, again?" he smiled brightly. "Cool," Tyler breathed, making Kendall laugh.

"Yes, I suppose it is 'cool'," she agreed, handing over the Dino Chargers.

"Just focus on your connection Tyler," Ari told him softly as he looked to his Energem. "If you're in harmony with that power, then you won't have any problems," Tyler looked at her, his eyes growing wider as he realised why he recognised her. He hadn't seen her in years, but he knew it was her. Her smile was the same, from both the photos and when he'd last seen her. "I'll let the other Rangers know you're on your way and to meet you in town," Ari then turned away and went back to the computers.

"Right..." Tyler took a breath and held out his hand. The Red Energem flew straight to him, and his smile brightened. He glanced to Ari again, and she winked to him, giving him a thumbs up. Tyler then nodded, and headed out to stop his rampaging Zord.

"I do find it curious. Why only those three?" Kendall adjusted her glasses as she looked at the data on her tablet.

"I agree. There shouldn't be any trouble," Keeper nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, very curious," Ari's voice was light as she watched the screens showing the T-Rex Zord. She was smiling in amusement, making Kendall's brow furrow.

"What do you know, Ari?" she asked, approaching the woman.

"I know many things Kendall," Ari smiled at the young woman, who sighed. Even now she could get very little from Ari. "But as for this, it's just a theory that I plan on looking into now that it's happened with Tyler as well," her green eyes were calculating as she watched. Kendall watched her for a moment longer, then turned her attention back to the screen.

* * *

Ice was covering the city and large monsters roamed around when the T-Rex Zord arrived.

"Whoa, the T-Rex Zord is awesome!" Teddie laughed when the Rangers reached the battle already taking place.

"Yeah, and so's Tyler," Chase nodded, impressed as they raced towards the Red Ranger, who was facing the monster from before.

"You'll never defeat me alone!" Ice Age roared as Tyler faced him.

"Did you say 'alone'?" Tyler smirked, resting his sword over his shoulder. "Look again," he indicated to where the others were running towards them. "Better late than never," he grinned.

"Look good Tyler!" Koda told him, clapping a hand to Tyler's shoulder.

"For a first timer," Chase nodded with a smirk.

"Are you really in there?" Riley asked curiously, rapping his knuckles on Tyler's helmet. The Red Ranger laughed, nodding.

"No more games! I'll destroy all of you!" Ice Age vowed. Koda frowned.

"That...is not Fury," he glanced to Chase and Teddie.

"That's for sure," Chase looked to Teddie with a frown. The White Ranger shrugged with an apologetic smile.

"Yeah...meant to say about that. Dude's looking for Energems too though," she explained.

"Well, whoever he is, he's about to learn who we are," Chase shrugged, grabbing his Dino Charger. "It's Morphin' Ti-"

"Just try to keep up guys," Shelby pushed past Koda as he lifted his own. They blinked at Shelby, confused. "Dino Charger, ready!" she held it out, but nothing happened. Teddie giggled as Chase and Koda exchanged looks and shrugged. Koda then walked over as Shelby shook it, trying to activate it, and he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Click," he indicated, and Shelby went even redder.

"Oh...thanks..." she muttered, pressing the button on the Charger.

"Ready!" the other four stood beside her, holding out their Chargers.

"ENERGISE! UNLEASH THE POWER!" they Morphed into Black, White, Blue, Pink and Green suits.

"Wow! We look great together!" Shelby exclaimed as Riley examined his own suit.

"You're still just weak humans!" Ice Age declared.

"Humans with dinosaur spirits!" Tyler stood with his team as he spoke confidently. Ice Age scoffed.

"I hope you're ready to lose!" he yelled. "Get them!" he ordered the Vivix; creatures in white suits with black designs, that rushed at the Rangers.

"It's about to get wild!" Tyler smirked. The Rangers then ran to meet the Vivix, and Teddie called on her sword, spinning it before swinging up and cutting through the creatures around her. She grinned, turning and moving as she continued to cut through the Vivix, easily taking out those around her.

"When you've been training most of your life..." Teddie dropped to the ground to avoid the attacks sent her way. "You can handle a couple of these losers!" she pushed herself back up, spinning and cutting through the Vivix. She looked around to see Tyler taking on Ice Age as his Zord finished off the last Vivizord.

"Nice, now let's finish this ice freak together!" Tyler shouted, grabbing his Dino Charger.

"I'll freeze you both!" Ice Age declared. He threw a jet of ice at Tyler as the Red Ranger leapt up into his Zord's mouth, but the ice didn't stick.

"Dino Morpher Blast, final strike!" Tyler fired another powerful shot, and destroyed Ice Age. "Monster Extinct!" he grinned, and the T-Rex Zord tossed a Charger at him. He caught it with a laugh, and the Zord crouched in front of him as the others approached.

"You did great!" Shelby praised.

"Yeah, that was awesome dude!" Teddie nodded, impressed by his moves.

"You too Rexy!" Tyler told the Zord.

* * *

' _I thought you'd want the heads up on this, considering what's going on there_ ,' Ari ran a hand through her hair at her eldest son's words.

"I appreciate it Spencer, thanks," she glanced over to Keeper, who was sitting down in stunned silence. Kendall looked worried as well.

' _Tell Chase and Teddie good work from me. I'm just glad they've got a full team now,_ ' the Gold SPD Ranger admitted. Ari laughed quietly.

"You and me both Spence. Though they were only one off what the Dino Thunder team were when they started off," she commented, making him laugh. Kendall glanced over, looking curious. She'd looked into past teams when working on the Dino Chargers and the Ranger equipment, but it was still surprising to hear of a team that had long since disappeared.

' _True. I gotta go. The Commander's supposed to be making a big announcement so I better get moving_ ,' Spencer told her.

"No problem. Thanks again. Love you Spencer," Ari said her goodbyes, and hung up, just as Chase's voice echoed through the base.

"We're back!" he called as the Rangers slid down into the base and let their Energems fly to their places in the crystal beds.

"Can you show me how to handle a sword like that?" Tyler was asking Riley as they walked through.

"The way you took out that giant monster, how about you show me?" the two laughed.

"Great work out there guys," Ari praised as she leaned against the console. "Spencer was impressed too," she held up her phone. Both Chase and Teddie grinned at the mention of him.

"Who?" Shelby asked curiously.

"Our big bro," Teddie told her.

"Oh my gosh, wait till my brother hears about this!" Riley grinned, reminded of his own brother.

"Incorrect," Kendall shook her head. "No-one must know what we're doing," she warned them. "Understood?" she looked to the three newcomers. Tyler and Riley nodded.

"What?" Shelby frowned. "But their brother-"

"Is SPD," Teddie explained as Shelby indicated to them. Shelby's frown grew. "It's a long story," she gave a weak smile.

"Your brother works for SPD?" Riley asked. Teddie nodded, and he whistled, surprised. Everyone knew of the force in New Tech City who policed the city and ensured no alien who lived there threatened the peace. Chase, who had fallen into thought, approached Keeper and crouched in front of the alien who had remained silent.

"Keeper?" the reptilian alien looked up at the Black Ranger. "That monster we fought wasn't Fury. You said there weren't any other monsters on Earth," Chase reminded him gently.

"That monster belongs to Sledge," Keeper sighed. "A ruthless bounty hunter. 65 million years ago, he drove me to hide all the Energems, which Kendall and Ari have been helping me search for," he explained.

"SPD picked up the signal of Sledge's ship a while back, and he's approached Earth," they looked up at Ari as she spoke, her arms folded and her expression grim.

"He's very dangerous. He'll do anything to get his hands on the Energems, and that includes destroying you," Keeper warned, and the Rangers fell quiet as they realised that they had much bigger problems on their hands.

* * *

"Hey mum?" Teddie approached Ari as she put her laptop away and grabbed her skateboard.

"What's up Ted?" Ari turned to her daughter and smiled.

"It's about Tyler," Teddie hopped up to sit on the desk as she watched Ari move about. "He's-"

"I know who he is Teddie," she was surprised by Ari's words. "I haven't really seen him since he was a kid, but I kept up with his family. Plus, he had the same problem connecting to his Zord that you and Chase had. You had to focus to let your spirit work in harmony with your Energems, just like he did," Ari explained, and laughed when she saw Teddie's stunned expression.

"How do you always know everything?" Teddie complained.

"Because I'm your mum. It's what I'm supposed to do," Ari poked her nose.

"Should we say something?" Teddie asked as Ari walked over towards the exit. She jumped down, grabbing her bag and following her.

"Nah, if he wants to tell us, he will. He recognises me too, I saw it earlier," Ari shook her head. "Besides, he's not the only one harbouring secrets here, is he?" she asked, and Teddie frowned.

"You think we should tell them," she realised.

"I think that's it's good to have trust in a team," Ari replied. "It's up to you to decide if you want to tell them anything. If you and Chase aren't ready to, that's fine. But sooner or later these things always come out," Ari warned, before smiling again. "You guys did great work today. Three new Energems and three new team-mates. There might be a threat bigger than Fury out there, but you can handle it," Ari told the White Ranger confidently. Teddie smiled back.

"Thanks mum," Ari patted her shoulder, and the two headed out to find Chase and head home.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! I'll aim to update soon!**

 **Please review!**


	3. A Fool's Hour

**Thanks for all your kind words so far, I hope you'll continue to enjoy it!  
**

* * *

Chapter 3: A Fool's Hour

Inhaling slowly, Riley waited for the tennis balls to start flying at him. When they did, he began to move with well-practised reactions, knocking them aside with his sword and cutting through some with powerful swings. Hearing a clang of metal, his focus was diverted, and a tennis ball caught him in the stomach.

' _I got that sunshine in my pocket_ _  
_ _Got that good soul in my feet_ _  
_ _I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops_ _  
_ _I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally_ _  
_ _Room on lock, the way we rock it, so don't stop_ ,' he looked around and frowned as both Chase and Teddie sang along to the music Teddie played her guitar and Chase worked on his skateboard.

Shelby slid down into the base as Riley continued working, trying to keep focus and not get more irritated at the twins. She let her Energem fly off to join the others in the crystal bed, and narrowly avoided the tennis balls batted her way.

"Careful," she called lightly. "Good morning," she greeted as she approached Teddie and Chase.

"Hey," Chase greeted as Teddie stopped playing and waved. "Don't you look sharp," he commented, noticing Shelby's skinny jeans and white top under a pink cardigan.

"It is such a relief to finally come to the museum and not have to look..." she trailed off as they glanced around to see Tyler walk in, wearing a red shirt and an apron around his waist, with a black cap on his head. "Like that," Shelby finished.

"Isn't it great? I get to be a bus boy at the café!" Tyler gestured to the name tag he wore. Teddie giggled, seeing the horror in Shelby's eyes.

"You're late Shelby," Kendall spoke as she walked in after Tyler, before sighing. "Please Chase, this is a sterile laboratory, _not_ a garage," she lifted his skateboard and shoved it into his hands. "Nor is it band practice Teddie, remember your shift starts in an hour," she reminded his sister testily.

"I know," Teddie nodded, and went back to tuning her guitar. Kendall rolled her eyes.

"Why is Tyler dressed to work in the café? We're Rangers now, you know? Busy saving the world?" Shelby reminded her.

"Not always," they looked over to Ari as she rolled in on a skateboard. Kendall sighed, and Teddie couldn't help but laugh as Chase grinned, both used to it by now. "Sometimes it's a little quieter, and it's the best way to explain your presence at the museum constantly," Ari told them. "Teddie, Chase and Koda still work there, remember? And besides, you should be lucky that your boss knows and will understand, if you have to run off during a shift to save the world," she reminded them.

"Ari, while I appreciate the explanation," Kendall scowled from in front of the computer. "Can you please not do it on a skateboard in here?" she requested.

"Oh, sorry," Ari stepped off and kicked it into her hands. "Demo this afternoon," she explained with a smile.

"A demo?" Shelby asked, confused.

"Skateboarding demo," Ari nodded.

"She's a professional skateboarder," Teddie elaborated when Shelby still looked blank.

"What's a professional skateboarder doing helping look for Energems?" she whispered to Teddie. "How come she knows about us when we're not supposed to tell anyone?" the Pink Ranger wanted to understand why she was there.

"Oh, mum's been helping since before we knew," Teddie explained. "She's pretty good with the tech side of this, she helps with what Ms. Morgan isn't so well versed in," while this was true, it wasn't the full reason. Kendall didn't know of Ari's past, but they'd come across Keeper together, and began searching for the Energems.

"Ari's right. It's how you'll blend in," Kendall handed over the apron and hat to Shelby. "Nobody will suspect you're Rangers," she explained. Shelby reluctantly took them, and Teddie smiled sympathetically at her.

"Don't worry, it's not all just flipping burgers," she soothed, and they heard a loud yawn.

"Someone say burgers?" Koda emerged from his cave, wearing shorts and carrying his shirt in his hand.

"Koda? What, do you like, sleep in that cave?" Tyler asked, confused to see him just awake.

"Yes, my home," Koda explained. Riley, Tyler and Shelby looked completely baffled.

"Koda found the Blue Energem a hundred thousand years ago. During the Pleistocene era," Kendall explained, seeing their confusion. This only made them more confused, and Chase and Teddie exchanged grins.

"So..." Shelby started as Koda blew his hair from his face. "You mean...Koda's a..."

"Caveman?" the three realised. Realising they meant him, Koda nodded and imitated a caveman.

"Awesome!" Tyler exclaimed, delighted at the idea.

"Really? He's a hundred thousand years old? That's impossible," Riley shook his head.

"Improbable," Chase and Teddie corrected, earning a frown from the Green Ranger. Ari smirked as she went to the computer, knowing that her influence on the two had been strong.

"Once he bonded to an Energem, he stopped ageing," Kendall told him. "None of you will age while you're bonded to an Energem," she smiled at their shock.

"So I'll always be 18?" Shelby gasped, and Kendall nodded. "This job has some great benefits!" she declared.

"And I will always look like this," Chase stood beside her. Teddie rolled her eyes. Their mum wasn't the only one to have influenced them.

"So there's some negatives too," Shelby decided, and Teddie started laughing. Kendall couldn't help but smile in amusement either. Seeing that Tyler, Riley and Koda had disappeared into Koda's cave, the other three followed them inside.

"My spears, good for hunting sabretooth tiger," Koda explained as they looked around. Cave paintings were scattered across the walls, and several spears were lined up against the walls too.

"You write on the walls?" Tyler asked as he looked at them.

"Petroglyphs," Shelby said as she saw them. "It's a prehistoric way of writing," she explained when they looked at her.

"Yes, I...write my story," he gestured to the pictures. Tyler stared at one in particular, finding it very familiar.

"That one...who is that?" he asked.

"It's Fury," they looked at Teddie as she spoke. Tyler's eyes widened, and he rushed out of the cave.

"That's the name you mentioned before, when you saw that creepy picture in Tyler's dad's notebook," Shelby remembered.

"Very bad...he...fight, to steal Energem," Koda explained.

"Yeah!" Riley nodded suddenly. "He tried to take my Energem!" he remembered.

"Guys, look at this," Tyler returned with his dad's notebook, opening it to show the picture of Fury. "Is this the same guy?" she asked.

"Yes!" Koda nodded as he looked from one picture to the other.

"But why was Fury after your dad?" Shelby asked. The alarm suddenly blared, and they looked around, all rushing out of the cave to see what was going on.

"That doesn't sound good," Tyler gulped.

"It's not," Ari's arms were folded as they gathered around the console.

"Several objects just entered the Earth's atmosphere," Kendall reported.

"Sledge?" Tyler wondered.

"Let's go find out," Chase nodded. They turned, heading out of the base as Kendall and Ari watched, worried.

* * *

Running through the forest, the Rangers were guided to the location where the ships had landed, and found a clearing where several aliens were approaching.

"Look! It's the Rangers!" a sickly sweet voice called out, and they spotted a bright pink alien with a heart shaped head, followed by a blue robot.

"What are you?" Tyler frowned as they stopped opposite them. "A walking lollipop?" he asked, seeing another monster behind them, as well as a large group of Vivix.

"Well, it's lovely to meet you too. _Not_ ," the pink alien retorted.

"Dude, what era are you from?" Teddie scoffed.

"Says the one who uses dude?" Shelby asked her.

"People still say dude!" Teddie defended.

"Allow me to introduce the most magnificent, intergalactic bounty hunter in the universe!" ignoring them, she continued to talk, and with a roar, a green alien flew in on a jet-pack, landing hard enough to make the ground tremble and kick up a gust of wind that battered the Rangers. They stared at the latest arrival, whose green skin was mostly covered by metal armour, but his glowing red eyes were what sent shivers down their spines. "The one, the only, my future husband, Sledge!" the pink alien announced.

"This is a joke, right?" Sledge scoffed as he glanced to her. " _You're_ the Rangers who destroyed my monster?" he asked in disbelief.

" _Power_ Rangers," Shelby corrected, trying to hide her fear. However, this did nothing but make them laugh. Koda suddenly sniffed, and let out a growl.

"Someone else is here," Chase muttered as Teddie scanned their surroundings.

"Fury," Koda indicated to the feline-like alien who watched from the foliage up on a hill. "Up there," Tyler looked up quickly, his eyes widening as he saw the creature who had been stalking his father.

"That's him...the creature in my dad's journal," the drawing was completely accurate, down to the long claws. Sledge glanced to him and nodded.

"As I was saying," Sledge growled as he turned his attention back to the Rangers. "You're the troublemakers who _stole_ my Energems!" he accused. Red smoke formed in front of the Rangers, taking them by surprise, and Keeper materialised, glaring at Sledge. "Keeper...it's you," Sledge recognised him with a chuckle.

"The Energems belong to no-one! Especially not to you," Keeper told him firmly. The aliens just laughed.

"My dear old friend, you thought that blowing up my ship could stop me? Think again," Sledge told him. "I waited in deep space for millions of years for a comet to pass. I caught it with my electro net and rode it all the way here! It might have been destroyed by that pathetic ant Grumm a while ago and delayed me, but it was worth it," Sledge walked slowly towards Keeper, who was tense and ready to defend himself if necessary. "Because finally, I will destroy you!" he declared. "And then, I'll leave here with the Energems!" he roared.

"The Rangers possess the power of the Energems," Keeper replied, not showing any reaction to the threat. "And the strength of ancient dinosaurs. If you try to take the Energems, _you_ will be the one who is destroyed," Keeper warned him firmly. Sledge growled at him as Keeper turned and vanished in red smoke again, leaving the Rangers alone again.

"Keeper?" Riley called slowly.

"No prob...we got this...I guess..." Shelby swallowed.

"Thanks for the build up Keeper but...uh..." Teddie bit her lip.

"Looks like they're gonna cry!" the robot laughed.

"Bring it on, weaklings!" Sledge challenged. Chase lifted his Charger and held it out.

"Dino Charger!" he called, before glancing to Tyler when he didn't react. "Tyler!" he hissed, but the Red Ranger's gaze was still on Fury. "Tyler?" he tried again.

"Something wrong?" Koda asked him.

"Tyler!" Shelby finally got his attention as they all held their Chargers. Tyler quickly grabbed his own.

"Ready?"

"Ready!" the others held their Chargers out as Sledge blasted them. They disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and the pink alien cheered loudly.

"Yay! You destroyed them!" she cheered, bouncing happily. Sledge laughed in amusement.

"Better get your eyes checked!" Tyler yelled as the Rangers emerged from the smoke Morphed. "Let's do this!" they ran towards them. The pink alien shrieked.

"Yikes! This isn't any fun!" she wailed, running off as the Vivix darted forwards to meet them.

"You're just lining up for me," Teddie commented as she cut through the footsoldiers with her sword. As Scrapper attacked Chase, she jumped in to help, blocking his attack, but she was shoved backwards. Chase blasted the monster, who stumbled, but stayed on his feet, and retaliated with a powerful swing that tossed Chase through the air. He landed hard, demorphing and groaning in pain.

"Chase!" Teddie called, and dodged the next swing, but a powerful punch to her chest threw her to the ground beside the Black Ranger as she demorphed too. "He hits hard..." she groaned, a hand to her chest as Chase nodded.

"No kidding," he agreed as Koda and Shelby joined them on the ground, their suits shattering too. Riley then landed face down in the grass as he demorphed too, and with a powerful punch from Sledge, Tyler hit the ground too.

"I'm getting too old for this," Sledge complained, slumping over.

"Oh no!"

"Master Sledge!" Poisandra and Wrench hurried to his side as the Rangers helped Tyler up.

"One last warning, Rangers," Sledge growled at them. "Hand over the Energems in an hour, or I'll blast this planet to pieces!" he threatened. " _One_ hour!" he pressed a button to activate his jetpack, but only one plate opened. He sighed, punching the other part, and it opened, allowing him to take off. In the smoke caused, the rest of the aliens vanished,and the Rangers slumped, allowing themselves to feel the pain of the injuries they'd sustained in the battle.

"One hour...h-how long is that?" Koda asked.

"Not long," Shelby shook her head. "How do we stop him?" she asked, looking to the others.

"We need to come up with a plan together," Riley shook his head.

"Something's going on," they looked at Tyler as he spoke, his gaze on Fury as he vanished into the bushes. "I'm gonna follow him," he decided.

"Tyler, I know that he has something to do with your dad, but right now-"

"This isn't about my dad," Tyler told Teddie as she tried to stop him. "Fury was signalling him, I've got a hunch," he went to move, only for Chase to grab his arm.

"Forget your hunch, mate, we're a team now, we have to work together or we don't stand a chance," he warned.

"We don't always have to be together to work together," Tyler told him. "Don't worry, I'll see you guys back at the base!" he ran off before they could stop him.

"Tyler!" Shelby went to follow him, but Chase stopped her.

"Let him go. We're just going to have to solve this without him," he said.

"Come on, we need to get back and warn mum and Ms. Morgan," Teddie told them. The five ran off, heading back to base.

* * *

Running back to the museum, the Rangers reached it and slid down into the lab, unaware that someone was watching them.

"We've got a problem," Chase called as they let their Energems fly off.

"No kidding," Ari nodded, her arms folded.

' _We got the threat too_ ,' Riley and Shelby frowned at the two young men on screen. The shorter of the two was muscular with a streak of blue in his hair, with dark eyes that reflected his worry. The other was a full head taller, with black hair gelled over, with green eyes behind a pair of glasses, who greatly resembled Chase. Both wore SPD uniforms, with the taller in gold and the other in blue.

"Spencer and Kayden, SPD Gold and Blue. This is Riley and Shelby," Ari introduced them.

' _Wish we'd be meeting under better circumstances_ ,' Spencer gave them a wry smile. ' _But we heard the threat too. We can't go near Sledge's ship, or Earth goes boom. Sorry guys, this is up to you_ ,' he told them.

"How? Sledge tossed us like a salad," Teddie shook her head.

"Kendall's working on something to help with that," Ari gestured behind the screen, where Kendall was working furiously, and had been doing so since seeing the battle not going well. "Where's Tyler?" she asked.

"Off getting himself caught by Fury cause he's got a hunch," Chase rolled his eyes.

"A hunch, huh? He'll be fine," Ari told him, making Chase frown at the confidence in her voice.

' _Come on guys, you've got this,_ ' Kayden told them with a confident smile. ' _It's just unfortunate timing, with us being two Rangers down_ ,' he shook his head.

"Two?" Teddie frowned, before noticing the colour Kayden was wearing. "Wait, what happened to Bridge? Why are you wearing Blue?" she asked him.

' _Oh! I'm here!_ ' the two on screen moved slightly to reveal the brown haired empath as he waved a gloved hand, wearing a red uniform now.

' _Commander Kruger has been promoted to Supreme Commander, and chose Sky as the Commander of the Earth SPD base_ ,' Spencer explained, running a hand through his hair. ' _So we're missing the Shadow Ranger, and we don't have a new Green yet. We're really short staffed_ ,' he admitted with a heavy sigh.

' _Times like this make you really miss Omega, huh_?' Kayden couldn't help but chuckle, and Spencer allowed a small smile.

' _We'll do what we can here,_ ' Spencer told them, before the alarm blared and they sighed. ' _If we have time. Good luck Rangers_ ,' he told them.

"Thanks Spence, Kayden," Teddie managed a weak smile, and Spencer nodded as Kayden gave a two fingered salute, and the image vanished.

"Well that was good news," Chase muttered sarcastically.

"Just a minute..." Shelby put her hands to her head. "That was your _brother_? He's a Ranger too?" she asked the two.

"Not just that, he's part of SPD's B-Squad, isn't he?" they looked at Riley as he spoke. "I heard all about them! They're the ones who defeated that massive alien last year," he remembered.

"Our brother casts quite the shadow," Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

"So he does," Chase agreed, but didn't sound too concerned about it.

"With help from Keeper and Ari," they looked around as Kendall spoke up. "I've upgraded your Dino Chargers using the transmitter," she handed over the Chargers to them. "Your Chargers will now be able to activate a high strength armour mode," she smiled proudly. "Ari calls it Dino Steel," the woman gave a thumbs up.

"Will Dino Steel be enough to fight Sledge?" Shelby asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Maybe, if Tyler hadn't left us," Chase muttered.

"He's right though," he looked at Teddie with a frown. "We don't need to be together to be a team. I trust him," she said confidently.

"And if he gets caught?" Chase challenged.

"That shouldn't happen," Ari's own confidence annoyed Chase, who was confused by their belief in Tyler. Teddie smiled at his irritation, and stretched up to whisper in his ear. His eyes widened.

"No way!" he exclaimed. Teddie nodded and laughed, before the alarm suddenly blared.

"Alien DNA detected in the north west quadrant," Kendall frowned. "And Tyler's there too," she realised, looking around at the Rangers. Exchanging looks, they hurried off to help their team-mates.

* * *

The five Rangers arrived just in time to see Tyler on the ground, and Scrapper and Wrench running at him. With quick shots from their blasters, they knocked the two away from the fallen Ranger.

"Tyler!"

"Are you okay?" Shelby asked as they helped him to his feet.

"Yeah...yeah, I think so," he nodded, grimacing in pain.

"Fighting alone? You could have been destroyed," Chase told him irritably. "That's why you don't follow hunches," he said as they sheathed their blasters. Tyler glanced to him, and sighed.

"You're right," he agreed. "But so was my hunch," they looked at Tyler in surprise. "Sledge wasn't going to give us one hour. That crusher creep followed you guys back to the base. He's trying to get back to Sledge to tell him where it is, and steal the Energems," their eyes widened. "That's the real plan," Tyler told them.

"Oh man," Teddie put a hand to her face. Chase groaned as well. Both knew of several people who would kick their butts if they found out they hadn't sensed the monster following them.

"So if you hadn't followed Fury, we..." Shelby trailed off, unable to say it.

"Sledge would be making his way into our base right now, destroying everything, and everyone," Riley swallowed.

"You hurt my hubcaps!" Scrapper wailed as he struggled to get back to his feet.

"I-I'm confused," Koda frowned. "Is hunch bad? Or good?" he asked Chase.

"Right now?" Chase grinned to Tyler and clapped his shoulder. "It's good," Tyler smiled back.

"That's Chase for 'I'm sorry for being a jerk'," Teddie whispered to the Red Ranger. Chase elbowed her.

"Let's do this," Tyler told the team. "Together."

"Together," Chase nodded, and pulled another Charger from his pocket. "With a little help from Kendall. She's developed a new armour mode for us," he held it out to Tyler as he brightened.

"Come on!" Scrapper was finally on his feet and pulling Wrench up. "Let's get outta here! I still gotta tell Sledge where their base is!" he groaned.

"Don't count on it," they looked around as the six Rangers stood together. "It's Morphin' Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"Okay guys!" Tyler lifted his blaster. "Let's check out our new armour mode," he inserted the new Charger. "Dino Steel!"

"Armour on!" silver armour formed down their left arms,

"It's about to get wild!"

"Vivizords! Rise!" a group of Vivix formed together to create massive monsters that towered overhead.

"Chase, use your new Para-Chopper," Tyler suggested to the Black Ranger.

"No problem mate," he stepped forwards, raising the new, powerful blaster in his hand. "Para-Chopper Blast!" he fired several shots at the monsters.

"Compo-Blades!" Teddie rushed past the Vivix around her and cut through them with her new weapons, spinning and taking more out as they ran at her. She gave a small laugh and leapt up, before swinging down and taking out the creatures too close to her.

"Guys, I could use some help!" Chase admitted as the Vivizords shook off his attacks.

"Time to see what my Zord can do!" Shelby grabbed another Charger. "Dino Charger ready! Summon TriceraZord!" she tossed it into the air, and it called on a massive pink Triceratops Zord. "There she is!" Shelby smiled with excitement at the sight.

"You're doing pretty good with that thing," Teddie called as she joined Tyler in fighting Scrapper. As he threw him through the air, Teddie leapt up and slashed down his back, forcing the monster to the ground.

"Thanks, you too," Tyler laughed, and they watched as Shelby's TriceraZord made quick work of the Vivizords. "Good job guys," he called as he stood with Shelby and Koda.

"We finish this together. Tyler, our powers are stronger, uh, together," Koda held out one of his Chargers.

"Combine them? Great idea Koda!" Tyler grinned, inserting it into his blaster. "Dino Morpher Blast!" with a powerful shot, he destroyed Scrapper. However, a moment later, a bright green beam of light slammed into the ground where he'd fallen, and Scrapper reappeared, growing much bigger.

"I'm gonna flatten you all!" he roared as the Rangers stood together.

"He big! Like mammoth," Koda gulped.

"We'll take care of that!" Tyler grabbed his Charger. "Dino Charger ready! Summon T-Rex Zord!" he summoned the large red T-Rex, who roared as he stomped into view. "Nice entrance Rexy," Tyler leapt up to stand on his head.

"Show off," Chase murmured.

"You've a nerve," Teddie elbowed him.

"That prehistoric piece of junk is no match for me!" Scrapper blasted them, but the Zord leapt over the shots and smashed into him, knocking Scrapper back before landing on a building.

' _Koda, summon your Zord_ ,' Kendall instructed suddenly. ' _I think I've found a way to combine them_ ,' she said.

"Great idea Kendall! We stronger, together!" Koda cheered, lifting his Charger. "Dino Charger ready! Summon StegoZord!" he tossed the Charger into the air, and the blue StegoZord spun into view.

"This looks bad," Scrapper gulped, and roared in pain as the StegoZord slashed across his chest repeatedly. Tyler landed on the ground with the others.

"Looks like you can combine the three Zords to form a Megazord," Teddie told the Red Ranger as he looked up at the three Zords standing together.

"Looks like it!" Tyler laughed. "Dino Charge Megazord, Tri-Stego formation!" the three Zords roared, and combined, forming a large bipedal Megazord.

"Dino Charge Megazord? Wow!" Riley laughed as he, Chase and Teddie watched from the ground.

"Impressive eh?" Chase grinned.

"It looks awesome!" Teddie nodded as the Tyler, Koda and Shelby activated the Megazord and faced towards Scrapper. They knocked off his shots easily, blocking each of his strikes before leaping into the air.

"What?!" Scrapper cried out in horror, looking up.

"T-Rex Zord, final strike! Unleash the power!"

"I'm headed for the scrap-heap!" Scrapper wailed as the powerful blast fired from the Megazord slammed into him, and he roared out again as he was destroyed.

"Monster, extinct!"

* * *

' _Ooh, it's something magical  
It's in the air, it's in my blood, it's rushing on  
Don't need no reason, don't need control  
I fly so high, no ceiling, when I'm in my zone_,' Teddie sang to herself as she brought in more food from the freezer. While Koda washed dishes and Tyler manned the grill, Riley was collecting drinks. It was only a small restaurant in a museum, but it was surprisingly popular. Tyler glanced up as Chase walked in with a pile of dirty plates, and without looking up, weaved around Riley as the Green Ranger turned to bring the tray out.

"Whoa, sorry Chase," he called.

"It's cool," Chase grinned to him, before seeing Tyler watching him, a little surprised by his reactions. "Hey, look, I wanted to apologise. I was wrong to think you'd abandon the team," Chase apologised to Tyler.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have been so quick to go off on my own," Tyler admitted with a shrug. "Fact is, we work better together," he said, and Chase nodded with a smile.

"Aw, how sweet, I think I might cry," they glanced around to Teddie as she gave a fake sniff. "I think we're one second away from a group hug, don't you Koda?" she nudged the Blue Ranger, who blinked innocently at her, not understanding.

"Teddie, I've warned you, I will put you on your butt if you don't knock that off," Chase warned his sister.

"Now Chase, that's not very team-mate like of you," Teddie grinned, making Tyler laugh. Chase rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't seem right," Shelby complained as she pushed the doors open and brought in more dirty plates. "We save the world in the morning! And serve them _lunch_ in the afternoon!" she gestured to the grill.

"You're crazy," Tyler told her, going back to the grill. "It's a blast! Look what I learned," they watched as Tyler flipped a burger into the air, spun, and held out the spatula to catch it. When nothing landed, he frowned, and Teddie cleared her throat. They looked at Koda, whose mouth was full as he tried to look innocent.

"Word of wisdom? Never throw food around a caveman," she grinned. Unable to hold his expression, Koda spat out pieces of burger in his laughter, making Shelby shriek as she, Riley and Chase were pelted with it.

"Sorry..." Koda apologised as Chase started laughing.

"Koda!" Riley complained. He and Shelby brushed themselves off as Koda tried to look guilty and failed miserably. Tyler and Teddie just burst out laughing at the sight.

* * *

 **Been thinking about this recently, would you be interested in knowing little facts about this series? Just as little authors notes at the end of chapters, such as changes I've made, like pairings or characters, or little things I've included without making a big point of emphasizing it.**

 **Let me know!**

 **Please review!**


	4. For The Trees

**Just gotta say, friends of mine have started playing Ark and I've inadvertently become their 'dino expert' because I know stuff about the dinosaurs they find. Little do they know where I got a lot of my knowledge from...  
**

 **Anyway, I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 4: For The Trees

Teddie hit the ground with a groan, but didn't stay down for long, pushing herself up to throw a punch at Chase, who dodged it by dropping down. He tried to sweep her legs out from under her, but Teddie jumped over his head, landing lightly and turning with a high kick.

Ari watched the two sparring, her arms folded and a smile on her face. While Chase's moves were similar to her own style, they mixed with what he had learned from his Mystic training, not to mention his time with Minos and RJ, who had trained the three siblings along with RJ's son Jeremy. It was fast and agile, while Teddie's was more forceful due to her Earth affinity. However, she also made those moves faster, with a graceful style she'd come up with herself.

She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, as Teddie bounced backwards off what seemed like nothing, except for the shimmering light between her and Chase, who was grinning mischievously.

"Not fair!" Teddie complained from the ground.

"Why? We never said no powers," the Black Ranger shrugged as Ari tried to hide her laughter. She was just glad she'd suggested training in the forest, in a small clearing where she'd set up a training ground back when the two had first become Rangers.

"Oh yeah?" Teddie pushed herself back up, and a white aura mixed with green surrounded her. "Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Nightingale!" she threw out her hands, and with a loud song of chirps and whistles, her Animal Spirit rose from her and flew through the air, weaving around the trees and singing as she flew towards Chase.

"And you call me a show off! Call to the beast inside!" Chase called as his own black aura with gold flickers shone bright. "Uncage the Kiwi!" the smaller Spirit leapt forwards to meet his opponent with loud chirps, bouncing through the air and clashing with the Nightingale as Chase and Teddie continued their sparring on the ground.

"Probably a good thing they did this without the others around, the amount of questions..." Ari shook her head as Teddie threw up her hands, glowing green, and Chase's eyes widened. He moved quickly to dodge the vines that burst from the ground around him and reached for him. He held out his own hands, speaking in the language of the Mystics, and golden light hit the vines, blocking them from striking him and making them shrivel up. In the air above, his Kiwi Spirit got around the Nightingale and slammed it into a tree, and it faded with a loud cry. Teddie stumbled, and Chase swept her feet out from under, pinning her to the ground.

"Hey, looks like I win," he grinned as both breathed heavily.

"This time. I'll get you next time," Teddie vowed as he got up and offered his hand. The vines disappeared as if they'd never been there, and the two walked over to grab their water.

"Nice one guys," Ari praised as they gulped down their drinks. "But unless you plan on telling the rest of the team, you might want to tone down the uh, _unusual_ aspects of your sparring," she suggested. Chase and Teddie glanced to each other, and shrugged.

"Maybe. I mean, we haven't seen Tyler make any mention of his own secrets," Teddie commented.

"I don't blame him. There's been a lot of publicity there and I imagine he doesn't want his new friends judging him for his family," Ari shrugged, before checking her watch. "You guys might want to get moving," she reminded them.

"Oh yeah," Teddie nodded, wiping her face with a towel. "Best get going," she grabbed her jacket and pulled it back on as Chase lifted his hat.

"I'll see you guys later, I'm having lunch with Zoe," Ari told them as they lifted their things.

"Oh, tell her we said hi!" Teddie smiled.

"Sure thing. She's probably wanting to cry about her baby being all grown up so..." Ari shrugged, and with a laugh, she lifted her skateboard and jogged off.

"I thought that happened when Annie left to join SPD," Chase glanced to Teddie, who shrugged.

"No clue. Mums are weird," she decided. Chase gave a laugh as they headed to the path, and he dropped his board to stand on it as Teddie mounted her bike.

"No doubt about that," he agreed.

* * *

"So we got six Energems so far, and there's still six more to go," Teddie said as they cycled towards the Dinosaur Museum. "What ones are we missing?" she asked, glancing to Chase as he skated beside her.

"Uh, Gold, Silver, grey-"

"I think Keeper said that one was Graphite," Teddie corrected her brother.

"Okay, Graphite. Then Forest, Aqua and Purple," Chase remembered.

"Man, so there's dark green and light blue as well," Teddie grinned. "Wonder if they couldn't think of other colours," she laughed.

"You mean like Crimson and Navy?" Chase asked, and both laughed. However, Chase slowed to a stop, looking out at the beach, and Teddie realised after a moment.

"What's up bro?" she asked, following his gaze. She whistled, watching as well.

Out in the sea, as the waves rose and fell, a figure gracefully rode them on a pink and purple surfboard. She didn't make a single mistake as she dipped in and out, before finally slowing down as she moved away from the waves. "She's pretty good," Teddie commented, and Chase hummed in agreement. "Come on, we're gonna be late and I doubt Ms. Morgan will accept you trying to pick up cute surfer chicks as an excuse," she began cycling again, and with a sigh, Chase followed her.

Jogging across the sand to her towel, the surfer put it over her head and started drying her long blonde hair. Her blue eyes rested on the two moving along the road, two of the only people around that early in the morning, and her head tilted slightly. A bark at her side made her look down, and she smiled at the brown and white dog, whose fur was dripping. As soon as Olivia looked down at her, she began to shake, pelting her owner with water droplets and making her laugh.

"Honestly Nerida, must you?" she complained. The duck tolling retriever just wagged her tail in response. Olivia chuckled, scratching behind her ear, before starting to dry herself off. Once she and the dog were both much drier, Olivia grabbed her hoody to pull on, and lifted her necklace out from under it to admire the dark green crystal in the sun. It sparkled, and Nerida barked again. "Okay," Olivia chuckled, tucking the necklace out of sight. "Let's get some food," the dog's fluffy tail wagged, and Olivia grabbed her things, putting them into her bag, and lifted her surfboard under her arm. She whistled, and the dog followed her along the beach.

* * *

Walking through the park after leaving off her surf board, Olivia whistled to Nerida as she bounded away, and with a bark, she ran back over to walk beside her. Olivia scratched her ear, and took a seat on a bench.

"This place is pretty nice, huh girl?" she asked as Nerida lay down at her feet. "Maybe dad will actually settle down this time," Olivia murmured, and her smile faded at the thought. Unlikely. Hearing a whine, she looked down and tried to smile as Nerida seemed to sense her thoughts. "It's okay," she leaned down to scratch behind her ears, and her tail wagged happily.

When the dog's head suddenly lifted, Olivia watched as she got up and wandered off. Frowning, Olivia got to her feet too. "Hey, come back! You know not to wander off!" she called, jogging after Nerida through the trees.

"Infernal creatures!" she heard a snarl as Nerida began to bark loudly. "Always interfering in my search! And I know what I smell," Olivia peered out from behind a tree, her eyes widening as she stared at a feline-like monster with massive claws and teeth, snarling at Nerida.

"Come here girl!" Olivia called, and with a bark, the dog ran over to her. "We don't want any trouble," she swallowed when Fury looked at her sharply.

"This smell...it's you!" Olivia let out a shriek and stumbled backwards as Fury lunged at her. Tripping over a branch, she hit the ground, and her necklace came loose from under her hoody. "I knew it! The Forest Energem! Hand it over!" he roared, lashing out at her. Olivia scrambled to her feet, narrowly avoiding him as her heart hammered against her chest.

"No!" she shook her head as Nerida barked, snarling at the monster. "You're not getting it!" Olivia turned and sprinted off through the trees, whistling for her companion to follow her.

"Come back here!" Fury followed with an angry snarl, not about to let yet another Energem slip from his grasp. Olivia continued running, trying to contain her fear as she sprinted out from the trees, only for the ground to explode from under her feet. With a scream, she went tumbling through the air, landing hard on her back. "Hand it over," Fury emerged from the trees slowly, his weapon raised as Olivia blinked tears of fear from her eyes. Nerdia stood in front of her protectively, growling at the monster.

"No!" Olivia wrapped her arms around her dog, burying her face in her fur. She heard an explosion, and her grip tightened, before she heard the monster roar. Looking up as tears ran down her face, she found him on his back, growling.

"Back off Fury!" her eyes widened as the Power Rangers landed between them.

"Rangers..." Fury growled. "Stay out of my way!" he got to his feet and lifted his heavy weapon.

"And let you hurt innocent people?" Teddie asked, tilting her head slightly. "Not a chance," she held up her blaster as Olivia watched with wide eyes. With a snarl, Fury rushed at them, and the Rangers began to fight him as Teddie turned to Olivia. "Are you okay?" she asked, her New Zealand accent thick.

"I..." the blonde girl with deep blue eyes stared up at the White Ranger. "I'm fine, thank you," Teddie tilted her head again curiously, not having expected the Irish accent from her.

"Glad to hear it," Teddie then smiled, before her eyes rested on her necklace. "No way!" she gasped, falling backwards. "You have an Energem?" she asked in shock.

"A what?" Olivia blinked, confused.

"That," Teddie gestured to her necklace. Olivia grabbed it protectively, as if trying to shield it from her gaze. "Guys! She has the Forest Energem!" she shouted to the others.

"What?" Shelby rolled over Fury and glanced at the two on the ground.

"Awesome!" Tyler laughed, blasting Fury. The monster cried out, hitting the ground. With a snarl, he turned and ran back into the woods.

"What's an Energem?" Olivia asked as they approached. Teddie helped her to her feet, and patted Nerida's head. To Olivia's surprise, the dog barked and wagged her tail happily, jumping up to put her front paws on Teddie's chest. The White Ranger laughed.

"Typical Teddie, charming every animal in sight," Chase rolled his eyes. "That crystal you have there, it's called an Energem. And that monster wants it," he explained.

"Guys," Tyler nodded, and they demorphed. Olivia's eyes widened as she found that they were a group around her age. These were the Power Rangers? It was a little crazy. "We all have one," Tyler revealed his Red Energem.

"What..." Olivia looked from one to the other. "I thought...it was unique, just a crystal," she shrugged.

"It way more than that," Koda nodded at her. "Energems have...great power," he explained. Olivia blinked at the muscular Ranger, who smiled innocently at her.

"There are 12 of them hidden around the world, we're trying to find them all and protect them from monsters like him," Tyler explained. "He'll be back, now that he knows you have one," he warned.

"You need to hand it over," Olivia glanced to the Black Ranger, whose accent, and appearance, betrayed him to be related to the White Ranger.

"What? No!" Olivia stepped away from him, narrowing her eyes. "I wasn't going to give it to that creep, and I'm not about to give it to a bunch of strangers just because they helped me," she told them.

"Are you crazy?" Chase stared at her. "That _creep_ would have killed you for it, and he's not about to give up. If you're not bonded to it, you're risking both it and yourself," he warned her. Olivia just glared back at him.

"No," she didn't back down.

"Look, you don't seem to realise-"

"I realise plenty," Olivia snapped at Riley when he tried to speak. "But you're not getting it. It's important to me. You don't understand," she shook her head and took another step back. Sensing her owner's unease, Nerida returned to her side with a whine.

"And if Fury comes back for it?" Chase challenged her. Olivia met his gaze evenly.

"That's what you guys are there for. To protect this city, right?" she asked. Chase shifted, growing more and more agitated with her.

"You-"

"Chase," Teddie put a hand on his arm. "Leave it. We can't force her to give it up, and like she said, it's important to her," she told him. "Come on, let's get back to base," she said to the team. All of them watched Olivia, who stared at Teddie, before they turned and headed off. Taking a deep breath as she watched, Olivia, sank to her knees, unable to stop her shaking.

* * *

"Why did we just let her go with it?" Chase demanded as soon as the Rangers returned to the lab.

"With what?" Kendall looked up from her work with a frown.

"The girl that Fury attacked had the Forest Energem," Riley explained. Kendall's eyes widened in shock.

"And you let her go?" she demanded.

"Thank you!" Chase threw his hands up.

"She didn't want to hand it over," Tyler tried to explain. "It seemed to be really important to her, Teddie-"

"Where is Teddie?" Kendall asked, noting the lack of a White Ranger. The group went quiet, looking around. "Good grief, _none_ of you noticed she was missing?" she demanded.

"She stayed behind, I guess to keep an eye on this girl," Chase grumbled, slumping down into a seat in his irritation.

"Probably for the best," they jumped, looking around at Ari. They hadn't even realised she was there. Chase didn't even blink. "If that Energem isn't bonded, Fury will be back," she warned them. The Rangers exchanged worried looks. She was right. And that meant that the girl was in danger.

* * *

Sitting on the beach, her legs pulled in as she stared out at the sea, Olivia didn't speak. Nerida lay at her feet, her head nudged under Olivia's hand. In the girl's free hand, she held the dark green crystal that the Rangers had called an Energem.

"Hey," she looked around quickly to see Teddie approach. "Don't worry, I'm not here to make you hand it over," the White Ranger quickly said, raising her hands. Olivia frowned at her, still defensive as Teddie sat down a respectable distance away from here. To her irritation, Nerida stood, wagging her tail, and approached the newcomer.

"What do you want?" Olivia asked, watching her traitor of a dog as she licked Teddie's face, making her giggle.

"Just to talk. I'm Teddie," she smiled at Olivia, who watched her curiously. The girl beside her had a friendly face, and if she hadn't know, Olivia never would have guessed she was a Power Ranger. She was slender, and not much taller than Olivia, and her accent wasn't exactly one she would have expected to hear in Amber Beach. Then again, neither was her own.

"Olivia..." she finally muttered back, glancing away. Teddie tilted her head, studying the blonde Irish girl, who held the Forest Energem in her hand. She was clearly scared and confused.

"So why is the Energem so important to you?" Olivia looked up as Teddie asked this. There was only curiosity in her dark eyes.

"It..." Olivia started, holding the Energem up to the light. "It was my mother's, she gave it to me when she..." the blonde trailed off, unable to say it. Teddie's eyes widened in realisation. "It's the only thing I have left of hers. I can't give it up," Olivia shook her head.

"I'm sorry," Teddie's voice was quiet as her fingers ran through Nerdia's fur. The dog was now sitting between them, watching Teddie. "I can't claim to understand that, and I hope I never do," Teddie admitted as Olivia lowered the Energem, keeping it clasped tightly in her hand. "But you need to understand, there are evil creatures out there trying to get these, and they're willing to hurt anyone in their way. And if they got all 12..." Teddie shivered as Olivia didn't look up from her feet. "They contain a great deal of power, and even one in the wrong hands could be devastating," the White Ranger explained. Olivia didn't speak, not looking up.

"I'm sorry," she finally whispered after a few minutes of watching her feet. "But I can't...not this. It's just..." her eyes closed as her voice quivered.

"It's okay. I get it," Teddie offered a sad smile.

"But..." Olivia looked up, tears in her eyes. "You just said-"

"We'll think of something," Teddie told her, her voice confident. "We'd never force you to give it up. That's why we're the good guys," she laughed. Olivia stared at her, not sure what to make of the girl beside her.

"I found you!" Teddie's eyes widened and Olivia's heart leapt into her throat at the growling voice. They looked up to see Fury approaching, raising his sword.

"No..." Olivia gasped, on her feet and backing away as she clutched the Forest Energem to her chest. Nerida was standing in front of her, growling.

"Give me that Energem!" Fury roared, only to be blasted by a shot from Teddie's blaster.

"Get it through that thick skull of yours Fury, you're _never_ getting an Energem!" she warned him. "ENERGISE!" she spun the side of her blaster. "UNLEASH THE POWER!" she Morphed into the White suit and stood protectively in front of Olivia and Nerida.

"That's what you think, White Ranger!" he snarled. "But I'll be leaving here with _two_ Energems!" Fury roared. Teddie rolled her eyes with an aggravated sigh.

"Try it then!" she goaded, rushing at Fury. As he swung out at her, Teddie dropped down, sliding through the side and between his legs. She leapt up behind him, dodging the swing as he turned around, before slamming her open palm into his stomach. Fury grunted, stumbling backwards, before recovering and slashing down with his sword. Teddie rolled out of the way, pushing up and blasting at him. Fury knocked it aside, and it kicked up sand, making Olivia cry out as it narrowly missed her.

"Enough playing!" Fury kicked Teddie in the chest and knocked her to the ground, before turning and slashing at Olivia.

"No!" she shoved Nerida away, and screamed as she was tossed through the air. The Forest Energem flew through the air, and Fury caught it.

"It's mine! Finally, an Energem in my grasp after all this time," he held it up to admire it, chuckling to himself. Olivia couldn't breathe, barely even acknowledging the pain as the horror of losing her precious heirloom overwhelmed her.

"No...give...give me it back," Olivia pleaded in a ragged voice. Fury just ignored her.

"Master Sledge will be pleased with this," he chuckled.

"I bet he would!" Fury turned as Teddie leapt through the air, and he swung out, catching her across the front with his sword. She let a weak cry out as she was tossed through the air, landing in front of Olivia.

"Are you okay?" Olivia was beside her, trying to help Teddie up as her suit shattered and she winced at the movement.

"Here," Olivia's eyes widened as she held out the Forest Energem. "Take it and run, I'll slow him down," Teddie told her, a hand on her stomach.

" _What_?!" Fury shrieked as he realised the Energem was gone from his grasp. "Give it back!" he demanded, approaching them as Teddie pushed herself up slowly, only for her legs to give in. She fell back in the sand, feeling the pain through her body.

"Run!" Teddie shouted to Olivia, but instead, the girl stood in front of her, raising her hands as she shook.

"What? _You're_ going to fight me?" Fury asked with a mocking laugh. "You're nothing but a weak human, you can't do anything to help!" he told her, but Olivia's eyes narrowed as she refused to move.

"You're not hurting Teddie any more," she said with determination. Teddie watched her with a surprised look. "I won't let you," Olivia said firmly.

"Then stop this!" Fury threw a powerful blast of energy, and Olivia clamped her eyes shut, but didn't move. Sand kicked up, before the blast was thrown back. "What?!" Fury managed to say before he was hit with his own attack, yelling as he was thrown through the air.

"Back off furball," Chase called as he stood in front of the pair, already morphed with his Para-Chopper raised. For a moment, Olivia swore that the light shimmered in front of him. "You guys alright?" he asked, glancing to them.

"Perfect, thanks bro," Teddie smiled weakly as she pushed herself up. "And thanks Olivia, you really didn't have to do that," she said as Olivia turned to her. The girl smiled back.

"I wasn't about to let him rip you apart," she pointed out, before light shone in her hand. She glanced down, her eyes widening as Teddie grinned widely. Light was shining from the Energem, crawling up Olivia's arm, before it suddenly pulsed, covering her body entirely.

"What?" Chase turned around in surprise.

"No!" Fury roared as Olivia staggered, her head pulsing as she saw an image in her mind of a strange dinosaur.

"What's...what's happening to me?" Olivia gasped as the image disappeared as quickly as it showed. In her hand, a blaster much like Teddie's, only encased in rock, materialised, and she almost dropped it in her surprise.

"The Forest Energem chose you!" Teddie smiled.

"What?" Olivia frowned at her, not understanding.

"What my confusing sister means is that the Energem decided to bond to you likes ours did to us. It means," Chase paused, not sure if he liked the idea. "You're one of us now," he told her.

"That's awesome!" she looked around as the other Rangers hurried towards them.

"Man Chase, you're pretty fast," Shelby commented. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Here," Olivia frowned as Riley held out strange devices that she'd seen Teddie with. "Ms. Morgan thought these might be needed, just in case," he told her.

"Um...what?" Olivia frowned.

"Do you want to protect the Forest Energem?" Teddie asked her. Olivia turned to her, surprised by the question, before her eyes narrowed in determination.

"Of course!" she nodded. Teddie smiled.

"Then welcome to the Power Rangers," Olivia gaped at her, and Teddie laughed. "Come on, follow my lead, and we'll make sure Fury learns he doesn't mess with us," she lifted her own Charger. Olivia nodded, and the other Rangers moved out of their way. "Dino Charger ready!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the pair Morphed, and Olivia let out a breath as she felt power flow through her. Fury roared again in his horror as the Rangers took in the sight of the newest Ranger. A dark green in colour, much darker than Riley's own suit, it was much like the others, only with her own dino spirit.

"Vivix!" Fury raised his sword, and the creatures appeared. "Attack!" he ordered.

"I, uh-" Olivia hesitated, panicking.

"Don't worry, you've got the power to take these guys!" Tyler called to her confidently as he blasted the ones around him. She watched as Shelby, Chase and Koda did the same, while Teddie and Riley used their swords to cut through them with expert moves. Swallowing, Olivia nodded, and lifted her blaster. As the knowledge of how to use it came to her, she rushed into battle.

Fury let out another growl as Tyler knocked him to the ground, and found that his Vivix were all destroyed.

"Sooner or later Rangers, I _will_ get your Energems!" he warned them.

"Just try it Fury, you'll never win," Tyler warned him. Fury growled, and threw his sword down, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Wow, that was...incredible," Olivia murmured.

"Nice work, you were awesome!" she blushed as the others ran over, complimenting her.

* * *

"This is awesome guys," Ari grinned as she looked from one crystal bed to the other. "7 Energems down, another 5 to go," she looked to the bed that now contained the Forest Energem. "Great work. You too Olivia, you're an excellent addition to the team," the blonde blushed at the confidence in the woman's voice.

"Yes," Keeper nodded as Kendall tried not to look too disgruntled at the dog in her lab. Olivia had insisted on bringing Nerida with her. "You are all making excellent progress in our search. The Energems were right to choose you all," he told them confidently. Olivia looked over at the Energems that glowed brightly; hers in the second crystal bed.

"Hey," she jumped when Teddie put a hand on her arm. The White Ranger smiled brightly. "He means you too. You protected me against Fury, that was way awesome," she told her. Olivia blushed deeply at her words.

"I agree," they glanced over at Ari. She was smiling and petting the dog sitting by her side. Olivia couldn't help but wonder what it was about the two that had Nerida acting so friendly towards them. "You put your life on the line to protect a stranger. Just like Tyler," her green gaze moved to the Red Ranger. Olivia glanced to him, surprised at the implication. Tyler just shrugged modestly. "But just because you're more than halfway to finding all the Energems doesn't mean they'll all pop up so easily," Ari warned.

"Agreed," Kendall nodded. "Sledge will only get more desperate; the more Energems that fall into our grasp means more power against him and his monsters," she warned them. Olivia shivered. She hadn't signed up for such a fight. She jolted when Teddie's hand squeezed her arm again, providing a soothing comfort to her.

"Let him try. We'll stop him," Tyler spoke confidently, and the others nodded their agreement. Ari smiled softly as she watched him, but there was a sadness in her eyes that couldn't be entirely hidden. His determination and courage inspired his team, just like Mack had done for his team back when they had been Rangers.

"I'll find you Mack, just wait," she murmured under her breath, just as determined as the Rangers in the base.

* * *

 **So Olivia has joined the team as the Forest Ranger, with the Scelidosaurus as her Dino Spirit.**

 **Fact for the chapter: Olivia was originally going to be Australian, but I visited my local museum before I started writing this fic, and saw the Scelidosaurus skeleton that's there - this particular dinosaur is one of the only species to be found on the island of Ireland. So I decided to make her Irish, with the Forest Energem instead! (Extra comment, they had models of a Parasaur and a Velociraptor hanging out in the entrance that made me giggle)**

 **I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Return of the Caveman

**I'm really glad for the positive feedback about Olivia, I really like her character!**

 **Hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 5: Return of the Caveman

"Here you go, two Bronto Burgers, one plain, one extra cheese, two large fries and two milkshakes," Olivia listed as she set the food down on the table. "Enjoy," she smiled at the two customers as she straightened up.

"Thanks," they grinned, watching the blonde walk back to the kitchen. "Man, the girls in here are something else," one grinned to his friend, watching Olivia in the kitchen as Shelby approached her.

"I hear that," the other nodded his agreement. "You seen that New Zealand chick? Man, she's super cute. I might have to ask her out," he smirked, taking a drink.

"Actually, I'm from Briarwood," he choked on his drink and almost shot out of his seat at the voice behind him. He looked up as Teddie passed him, a guitar on her back. She turned and smiled sweetly at him. "And I'm not interested," the other laughed at his friend's stunned expression as Teddie lifted an empty plate and glass from a table a customer had left, and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey Teddie, Kend-Ms. Morgan," Shelby caught herself, making both girls smile in amusement. "Wants us downstairs," the Pink Ranger told them.

"No probs," Teddie nodded, putting the dirty dishes into the sink.

"Where's Chase?" Olivia asked, looking for the other Ranger who was supposed to be working. Teddie and Shelby rolled their eyes.

"Flirting with the customers, what else?" Teddie shrugged, and their newest Ranger frowned. "Hey, Chase!" Teddie called over the counter. Olivia spotted him sitting with a pretty girl, who giggled at something he'd said. "My brother is such an idiot," Teddie sighed, crumpling up a piece of paper. She hurled it at him with perfect accuracy, and three sets of eyes widened when he caught it.

"For someone with no focus whatsoever, Chase has some good reflexes," Shelby commented as he frowned at the three.

"Meeting with Ms. Morgan, now," Teddie told him. His dark eyes widened, and he smiled at the girl at the table.

"Sorry, gotta go," he stood and went to join the three, but not before taking her number that she gave him on a napkin.

"Picking up girls at work? You're a total sleeze," Olivia rolled her eyes as they headed to the lift that would take them to the underground base.

"Careful Olivia, you sound like you're jealous there," Chase said lightly. Olivia let out a bark of laughter.

"Like I'd want those skills. Do you even like those girls, or are you just collecting numbers?" the Forest Ranger challenged. Shelby raised her eyebrows at Teddie, who shrugged with a sigh. The two had been arguing since they'd met, and it was only getting worse.

"Hey guys," Ari greeted from the ground, sitting cross-legged with Nerida sitting beside her. The tan dog wagged her tail and got up, bounding over to Olivia. Chase's attention immediately left the argument he'd been having, and his eyes grew wide.

"Whoa!" he rushed over to the bike with a look of glee. "Is this for us? It's awesome!" the Black Ranger bounced around, excited.

"I'm glad you think so," they looked around to see a familiar young man standing with Kendall. He wore a blue plaid shirt and jeans, with a streak of blue through his black hair. "I've been working non-stop with Ms. Morgan here to perfect them," he smiled.

"Kayden!" Teddie hugged the young man with a laugh.

"Shelby, you'll probably remember this genius," Ari got to her feet, standing beside the bike as Chase continued to admire it. "Olivia, this is Kayden Bradley, SPD's Blue Ranger. Kayden, this is Olivia, our Forest Ranger," she introduced the two.

"Hey," Kayden smiled at Olivia, who smiled back, scratching behind Nerida's ear as the dog brushed against her.

"SPD? I didn't know our teams were working together," she commented softly.

"Yep, since our bro is on their team, mum thought it would be a good idea to work with them," Teddie nodded.

"Especially since Sledge has been on our threat list since SPD was created. Fury too, but we've never been able to track the big cat down," Kayden nodded. "So we offered our help in any way we could. In this case, equipment," he grinned.

"Kayden helped design a lot of the equipment that the SPD Rangers used in their battle against Grumm," Ari explained.

"That's awesome," Tyler breathed, admiring the bike with Riley and Chase.

"Kat's the real genius, I'm just good with engines," Kayden shrugged. "Same with Ms. Morgan, she's the one who amped up that baby," he told them modestly.

"He's also the one responsible for designing the software we use to track down Ranger signatures," Ari rolled her eyes, not about to let him undermine himself. Kayden went red, scowling half-heartedly at the woman he'd known all his life.

"Really? That's amazing," Riley said, impressed. "How can you do that?" he asked.

"All us Rangers give out a different energy signal once we've been connected to the Morphin' Grid," Kayden explained. "It's still in testing and can't search very far, but it works. It can detect you guys the moment you enter the search radius," he grinned, proud of his creation.

"That's how you knew we were coming, and that we'd bonded to the Energems," Shelby realised. Ari nodded, before Shelby's eyes lit up with excitement. "Hey, would you be able to use it to find the other Energems?" she asked hopefully.

"Already tried it," Shelby deflated and scowled at Kendall for her dismissive tone. Kendall didn't even look up from her Tablet. Kayden smiled in amusement, finding the action very familiar. Spencer could get just as engrossed in his work.

"Unfortunately, only those who have bonded with Energems give off the signature," he elaborated in a much more patient tone. "We've got the system running in New Tech City, as well as here, and I'm working on expanding it with Kat, so if we find another active Energem, we'll let you know," he said confidently. There was then a beeping noise, and he looked to his side and sighed. "No rest for the wicked," he lifted his SPD Morpher and flipped it open. "Kayden here," the Blue Ranger answered.

' _Sorry to drag you back on your day off, but there's trouble in the city and the others are going to need you,_ ' Kat told him.

"No sweat, I'm on my way," Kayden told her, closing it. "Well, back to my real job. Let me know how the bikes turn out, I'm hoping they beat out Annie and Spencer's. The two finally got theirs up to the level of Bridge's and Jet's," he smirked, heading to the exit.

"How will you get back in time?" Riley asked, curious. Kayden glanced around, going to speak, before catching himself. He glanced to Ari, who shrugged.

"Oh, I'm a fast runner," Kayden then answered, making the former Gold Ranger grin as Teddie giggled. Riley frowned, not understanding, but Kayden disappeared out before he could press matters.

"Still not ready to tell them the truth?" Ari asked Teddie, who shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Yeah, we've grown up with the idea of being open about it, but that was only because most people already knew about us," the White Ranger sighed. "I don't want them to judge us for our powers," she admitted. Ari patted her shoulder.

"I think Tyler is the same. But these secrets have a habit of coming out eventually," Ari warned. "Don't be hiding it from them for my sake," she told her daughter, knowing that part of the reason she and Chase hadn't told anyone, was because they didn't want to reveal Ari's own secrets. "So!" Ari spoke in a louder voice. "Who wants to test it first?" there were immediate shouts before Chase won out and took a seat on the bike.

"This is awesome!" Chase laughed, revving the engine. "The power behind it!" he revved the engine again, before Ari glanced around.

"Chase, quieten it down a little," she warned softly, as Koda emerged, wearing just his shorts and brandishing a staff.

"Sorry, sorry, we didn't know you were sleeping," Kendall apologised quickly, raising her hand as the others looked around in surprise.

"Kendall-Ms. Morgan," Shelby corrected again as the genius beside her shot her a frown. She wanted to maintain a professional level between herself and the others. Only Ari and Koda called her Kendall. "Was just showing us our new Dino Cycles," Shelby grinned widely, moving to show Koda the bike. Yellow in colour with the front designed like a dinosaur head with red eyes, the bike seemed normal enough, but the power it emanated was enough that all of them could feel it.

"Come on over, take a squizz," Chase nodded as Koda glared at it, not speaking. Fear was evident in his eyes as he took a step back.

"A 'squizz'?" Shelby, Tyler, Riley and Olivia repeated. Chase looked at them, not understanding their confusion.

"It means a look," Teddie clarified for them with a giggle. The four continued to stare at Chase, who groaned.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm speaking English," he grumbled.

"Me too," Riley smirked, making the others laugh. Chase rolled his eyes.

"Take a look Koda," Ari smiled. "It's got everything. Lazer blasters, energy scanners-"

"And most importantly, I look really good on it," Chase interrupted with a smirk. He revved the engine again, pulling up onto one wheel.

"Chase, no!" Ari called, but Koda reacted faster, lashing out like a frightened animal and slamming his staff against the wheel. "Koda, it's okay!" Ari stepped between the two as Chase almost overbalanced, and the others backed away quickly. "It's okay, it's not going to hurt you," she told him gently. Looking up at the woman, Koda started to relax, lowering his staff.

"Sorry...my instincts say danger," he glared at the bike. Shelby laughed lightly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"No apologies, I totally get it," she smiled at the Blue Ranger. "Where you're from, anything that makes a strange _sound_ -" Shelby then glared at Chase, who arched an eyebrow. "Is a threat," she finished. Unfortunately for her, Shelby's phone then started to ring, and Koda spun around, slamming his staff onto it. The phone flew across the room, landing on the ground and breaking apart.

"I'm sorry..." Koda realised his mistake as Shelby let out a whimper, staring at her pink phone. The others winced sympathetically, except Chase, who laughed.

"No apologies mate, she _totally gets it_ ," Shelby glared at him, and he smiled back pleasantly.

"Oh, that's a bad break," Ari commented as she lifted the shattered phone.

"He's grown accustomed to morphing into a Ranger," Kendall explained as she stood beside Koda. "But..."

"Some...modern things still give me..." Koda frowned, thinking of the right words. "Nervous?" he tried.

"Look," Chase walked over and put his arm around the caveman. "You just need a few pointers. I've ridden everything from rollercoasters to kangaroos. If anyone can teach you how to ride, it's me," he said confidently.

"Uh, kangaroos are from Australia," Olivia pointed out. Teddie sighed heavily.

"It's a long story, don't ask," she shook her head.

"Let's go," Chase led Koda away before they could press the matter.

"Is that really a good idea?" Olivia asked dubiously.

"Jokes aside, Chase has been riding bikes since he was old enough," Ari shrugged. "Downside of having friends in the motocross business, all your kids want to try it. They'll be fine," she said confidently.

"Right..." Olivia frowned, before Teddie looped her arm through hers.

"Come on, let's take Nerida for a walk," she suggested. At the mention, the dog barked with excitement. Surprised, Olivia nodded, and the two led the dog out of the base, to Kendall's relief.

"Do we really need to have the dog here?" she grumbled.

"Hey, you got a new Ranger and Energem out of it. I'd call it a fair compromise," Ari shrugged, taking a seat and looking at the phone in her hands.

"Koda hit that thing hard, no way it can be fixed," Kendall spoke, and Shelby whimpered again. "You'll just need to buy a new one. Sorry," she told the Pink Ranger.

"It took forever to afford that one..." she grumbled, before Tyler and Riley led her out of the base and up into the museum. Ari didn't look up from the phone.

* * *

"I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited to get on those bikes," Teddie spoke as she and Olivia walked through the park.

"Yeah, they look amazing. Ms. Morgan really did a good job. And your friend too," Olivia nodded. Teddie hummed her agreement. "Did you say your brother is an SPD Ranger too?" she asked, remembering what had been said earlier.

"Yeah, Spencer is the SPD Gold Ranger," Teddie confirmed, kicking a stone out of her path. Nerida had bounded ahead, but was keeping in view. "It wasn't really a surprise. We've kinda seen it coming since the Ranger program was first announced for SPD. Me and Chase though..." Teddie shrugged.

"What?" Olivia asked, not understanding.

"Well, I never figured I'd be a Ranger. I didn't want to be part of SPD. I never thought I was...well, a hero," Teddie admitted.

"Hey, you saved me, twice," Olivia reminded her. "You're a hero, and you're a great Ranger," Teddie smiled bashfully.

"Thanks," she spoke in a softer tone. "You don't need to worry about Chase teaching Koda how to ride. Kayden and the others taught us when we were younger. He's got moto-blood, and his cousin Annie is the same," Teddie changed the subject.

"Moto-blood?" the Irish girl frowned, confused.

"Yeah, his dad is a professional motocross racer. My uncle has been doing freestyle for years as well, pretty much since he was my age. So Koda will be fine," Teddie said confidently.

"Wow, you guys have all these crazy connections. Motocross, SPD, what else?" Olivia commented, and Teddie laughed.

"You have no idea how weird my family is," she shook her head.

"I know that feeling," Olivia's quiet reply made Teddie look at her, seeing a frown on her face, but before she could say anything, Nerida barked and raced ahead. "Hey! You know not to run off!" Olivia ran after her dog. Teddie followed, and they spotted Koda leaping over a bench and landing on his back.

Chase laughed, getting up and walking around to help Koda, who had jumped up and over in fear, startled by the sprinklers suddenly turning on. Hearing a bark, he saw Nerida run over, her tail wagging, and she started licking Koda's face. The Blue Ranger laughed, petting her, before accepting Chase's hand.

"Relax, they're just sprinklers," Chase soothed the embarrassed caveman.

"Hey guys! You okay Koda?" Teddie called as she and Olivia reached them. Nerida barked, running back to Olivia. Koda sighed, lifting his Energem out from under his shirt.

"Why would Energem choose a caveman?" he asked, doubtful. He looked up, and gasped. "Duck!" he yelled, leaping out of the way. Teddie, standing beside him, moved too, but the other two were too slow, and as Chase looked around, a cage landed on him and Olivia, glowing blue.

"What is that?" Teddie gasped as she looked up at it.

"Koda, Teddie, behind you!" Chase warned, before he and Olivia disappeared. Hearing screams, the two remaining Rangers looked around to see a monster with cages on his shoulders approach.

"Two Rangers locked up, time to give them some more cellmates!" Slammer laughed, conjuring another cage in his hands. He swung it through the air and tossed it at the two, but Koda kicked it away. He grabbed a shovel from an abandoned wheel-barrel and ran at Slammer, and Teddie followed.

"Where are our friends?!" Koda demanded, striking the monster repeatedly before Teddie kicked him across the head. However, unmorphed, their blows glanced off him.

"You'll be joining them soon!" Slammer declared as Koda leapt back up, only to be tossed back to the ground. "Stop trying to break out before you're even in!" he yelled at the pair. He ran at Koda, who kicked him back, into Teddie's blow. With a yell, Slammer caught the White Ranger, lifting her and tossing her into Koda. The two hit the ground, rolling down the steps. "The smart thing to do is to come quietly," Slammer told them with a laugh.

"Fat chance!" Teddie yelled.

"You guys aren't very smart, are you?" Slammer taunted, swinging another cage and throwing it. The two prepared to dodge, before noticing a boy cycle along, not having noticed the fight as he focused on riding his bike.

"Watch out!" Koda caught the boy, and the two were caught in a cage.

"Koda!" Teddie yelled as the cage landed on the bike, crushing the front wheel.

"Two again! I'm on a roll!" Slammer laughed as the cage vanished. "One left. Ready to come quietly, little girl?" he taunted Teddie, before Nerida bit his leg and made him yelp.

"No!" Teddie grabbed the dog as Slammer hopped back, and hauled her into her arms. "Sorry girl, this may startle you a little," she warned the dog, who whimpered, before Teddie shot off in a Ninja Streak.

"What? Why's she so fast?!" Slammer cried as Teddie escaped.

* * *

"Would you stay on your side?"

"There's next to no room, I can't help it!" Chase and Olivia's arguing was interrupted by another cage appearing. They looked around to see Koda, who pulled at the bars. Despite his caveman strength, they didn't budge. "We tried to Morph, but we can't," Chase told him as Koda continued to try and break free. "Even you can't bend these bars?" Chase sounded worried, knowing that Koda was one of the strongest of the group.

"Is that a kid with you?" Olivia noticed the other prisoner. Koda remembered the boy, and looked down at the little boy on the ground, who whimpered as he held his leg. Tears ran down the boy's face, and Koda crouched beside him.

"You okay?" Koda asked gently, removing his bike helmet.

"My...my leg...I can't...I think it's broken," the boy cried, his leg sticking out at an odd angle.

"Koda, look, the cage landed on the bike," Chase realised, spotting the damaged bike under the cage. "Maybe you can get out," he suggested. Koda moved the bike and tossed it aside, sliding out under the gap left behind. Gently, he helped the boy out as well.

"Careful, don't hit leg," Koda warned him. He pulled him free of the cage, and leaned him against a rock. "Stay still," he instructed as the boy continued to cry softly.

"Nice work for getting out," Chase nodded as Koda began to work on something with his back to them.

"Yeah, he's out of the cage, but he still needs out of this cave," Olivia reminded him. Chase rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. "And it's too dark for-" she was interrupted by fire suddenly sparking to life at the end of a branch that Koda had found.

"Oh, you've gotta teach me how to do that," Chase laughed as Koda stood.

"What is your name?" Koda asked the boy.

"P...Peter.." the kid managed, pale from the pain.

"Peter, can you hold torch?" Koda asked him. Wincing from moving, Peter did so.

"Yeah," he nodded, managing to hold the burning branch.

"He needs doctor," Koda told them. Chase grabbed his communicator from his pocket, and tried to open up a link.

"Kendall, can you hear me?" Chase tried as Koda ripped up his jacket to make a splint for the boy's leg. "Is anybody out there?" he asked quietly, trying not to let the boy hear him. "There's some kind of field jamming our equipment," he realised.

"That must be why our Morphers aren't working either," Olivia realised, looking at the small Charger in her hand.

"Koda, get the kid out of here first, we'll be fine," Chase told the Blue Ranger. "Well, as fine as can be when stuck with this one," Olivia glared at him as Koda held up the torch, checking to see which way the wind was blowing.

"For a moment, you actually sounded like a decent person," she growled at him. Koda lifted the boy into his arms, and stood.

"I get Peter out, then come back," Koda told the two.

"Good luck," Chase nodded to him. Koda nodded, and disappeared down the tunnel. With a sigh, Chase took a seat.

"May as well get comfortable," he said, closing his eyes.

"You can't seriously be taking a nap right now," Olivia frowned at him.

"It's called meditating. Calms a person down. You should try it sometime," Chase told her in as irritated a tone.

"Yeah, like you meditate. You can't even focus on work for two minutes," Olivia rolled her eyes, but sat down, looking at the Charger in her hand. "I hope Koda gets out okay," she murmured. Chase didn't reply, but was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Kendall walked through the museum, weaving around visitors, and walked into the restaurant where Shelby, Tyler and Riley were working. Seeing the concerned look on their boss' face, they gathered together.

"Chase, Koda, Teddie and Olivia are late," she spoke quietly.

"Teddie's always late," Shelby shrugged.

"And Koda doesn't even know what time is," Riley grinned. Kendall frowned at the Green Ranger, not appreciating his joke. "Chase probably got distracted with some girl again," he shrugged.

"Teddie hasn't been late since you became Rangers," Kendall pointed out. She was happy that the girl had taken her words to heart. "Olivia's always on time too. And while you'd normally be right about Chase...they aren't answering their Dino-Coms," Kendall's words made them frown. They always answered, no matter what.

Hearing a bark, they looked around to see Nerida run in, looking a little windswept.

"Guys!" hearing Teddie's hiss, they looked up to see her in the entrance to the restaurant.

"Teddie! Where have you been?" Kendall asked as they all hurried over to her.

"There's been trouble," she told them, and they saw the cuts and bruises across her legs. "Sledge's monster attacked us in the park. He took the other three, I don't know where," Teddie shook her head. Kendall looked to the others, all of them worried.

"Right...Tyler, you and Riley take the Dino-Cycles. Their scanners will allow you to cover more ground," Kendall instructed.

"Okay, let's go," Tyler said to Riley, and the two hurried off.

"We'll do a city-wide sweep downstairs too," Kendall told the two girls, who nodded and followed her down.

* * *

"You're being stubborn, as usual!"

"You seriously can't get over that I didn't succumb to your _charm_ and hand over my Energem, can you?!"

"No, I couldn't care less about that! But what I would like is to go back to when I could come into work and not get my head bitten off!"

"Oh please, you say work, but you just use it as an excuse to pick up girls!"

" _What_?!" their argument was cut short by the furious roar of Slammer as he stormed in. "A jailbreak on my watch?! That Ranger is more clever than I thought!" he yelled, throwing the broken bike aside. "I'll crush him!" he yelled, kicking the bike.

"Hey, um, I'm pretty clever too. Let me out and I'll show you," Chase suggested.

"Really?" Olivia muttered under her breath.

"Just shut up, I don't see you coming up with a way to get out," he hissed back.

"You want to show someone? Show Sledge! He'll eat you for breakfast," Slammer mocked, rattling the bars and making them back up. "Now, I have a Ranger to catch!" the monster laughed, walked off to find Koda. Chase swore under his breath, looking at the bars. If he'd been on his own, it would be easy enough to escape. But with a witness, he wasn't quite so eager.

"Watch your back Koda..." Chase muttered. "Let's hope Teddie and the others can find us," he murmured.

* * *

"Any luck?" Ari called as she walked in, unclipping her helmet and lifting her skateboard.

"Mum, you didn't need to leave the demo," Teddie told her.

"It's okay, my boss is pretty understanding about it," Ari patted her head. "Any luck tracking their Ranger energies?" she asked, looking at the map that was being cast in front of them.

"None. I don't get it," Kendall shook her head. "If they're still in the city, they should be detected," she frowned.

"What if they're not in the city?" Shelby suggested.

"Then we'd have picked up some kind of energy used," Kendall told her. "Anything powerful enough to teleport people would need to have strong energy," she explained, frowning at the map as a tracer ran over the city.

"And what about underground?" Ari's suggestion made her pause. "This system is still in testing phases, it wouldn't be able to track underground or in caves and stuff," she pointed out.

"That...that might be it," Kendall focused on her tablet, changing the search patterns. The system then beeped loudly.

"Did you find them?" Teddie asked hopefully.

"Not yet, but-" Kendall stopped as another beep let them know that Tyler was contacting them.

' _I'm picking up a magnetic field_ ,' Tyler told them. ' _Do you see it_?' he asked.

"I see it too," Kendall nodded, focusing on the red area near the beach. "Strange readings," she murmured.

"That field must be what's stopping them from communicating with us," Shelby realised.

"Or maybe even from Morphing," Kendall's eyes widened at the thought. "They've got to get outside!" she shook her head before opening a link with Riley. "Riley? I'm sending coordinates. Meet us at the mountains," she instructed.

' _Right. I'm on my way_ ,' the Green Ranger confirmed.

"We best get out there too, not being able to Morph puts them in a real disadvantage," Ari told the rest, and they nodded, hurrying out.

* * *

Pulling up by the caves, they spotted Tyler and Riley's bikes.

"Any sign of them?" Shelby called as they climbed out and ran to the two other Rangers, who were unmorphed and looking around.

"There's a cave over..." Tyler stopped, spotting a figure emerging from the darkness.

"Koda?" Kendall realised, seeing the Blue Ranger run out, carrying the small boy in his arms.

"Koda!" Tyler yelled. Koda looked back at the cave, before running over.

"He need doctor," Koda told them. Ari took the boy in her arms.

"We'll get him to the hospital. You guys find Chase and Olivia," she told them. They nodded, and she and Kendall hurried back to the jeep. "You're safe now kid, don't worry," Ari smiled as she helped him onto a seat.

"Koda..." he mumbled, looking over at the caveman.

"He'll be fine. We're gonna get you to a doctor and get that leg looked at, okay?" she asked, and he nodded, his eyes closing as he fell unconscious.

"Koda, where's Chase and Olivia?" Riley asked him as they drove off.

"Still trapped in mountain," Koda explained.

"Trapped? By who?" Shelby asked, and Koda's eyes narrowed.

"By him," he growled, and they looked over to see Slammer standing on the cliff above, carrying a cage.

"Hey Rangers! Thanks for coming! How about you stay a while?" he laughed, swinging the cage. "Or in this case, forever!" Slammer declared, tossing the cage. Koda growled, and caught the cage. "Hey! Let go of that!" Slammer was surprised by the move, and tugged, but Koda was far stronger. He yanked on the cage, and Slammer shrieked as he was pulled from the cliff.

"It's Morphing Time!" Koda yelled. "Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed into their suits.

"Power Rangers Charge! Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Dinosaur Might, ready to fight!"

"Power Rangers..."

"Dino Charge!"

"Vivix! Destroy those techno colour twits!" Slammer ordered, and the footsoldiers squealed as they rushed the Rangers.

"It's about to get _wild_!" the five ran to meet them, and Teddie leapt through the air. She spun, kicking on into another and knocking them down. As she landed, she swept the feet out from another, and kicked on in the legs.

"You guys really are nothing compared to other Ninjas," she taunted, dodging their retaliating blows. Riley and Tyler called on their Dino-Cycles and fought Slammer, easily overwhelming him with their new power. As they defeated him, the other three defeated the Vivix, and they regrouped.

"We need go back in cave. Save Chase and Olivia," Koda told them.

"Knowing those idiots they'll have killed each other, being left alone," Teddie giggled.

"Come on," Tyler went to lead them, before thunder boomed overhead and green light hit the ground. Slammer returned, growing much larger.

"He's blocking the cave entrance!" Shelby frowned.

"Then we'll have to move him," Teddie grinned.

"Yeah!" Tyler cheered. "Dino Charger, ready!"

"Dino Charge Megazord, Tri-Stego formation!" Riley and Teddie watched as Tyler, Shelby and Koda combined their Zords.

"Battle-mode, engage!" they attacked Slammer, and held him in place. "Riley! It's time to try out your Zord!" Tyler told him, and the Green Ranger grinned.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" Riley grabbed a Dino Charger from his belt. "Dino Charger, ready! Summon Raptor Zord!" he hurled it into the air, summoning his Zord. As Slammer went to escape, he was attacked by the Raptor Zord, and thrown to the ground.

"Dino Charge Megazord, Stego-Raptor formation!" Tyler yelled. The Triceratops Zord switched with the Raptor Zord, and Riley appeared in the Megazord with the others.

"Oh, I have an idea!" Teddie called. "How about a weapon!" she giggled. Grabbing a Dino Charger from her belt, she activated it. "Dino Charger, ready! Summon Compo Zord!" she threw it up, and a small white Zord appeared, spinning through the air.

"It's so small!" Shelby exclaimed as the much smaller bipedal Zord jumped over their head.

"Yeah, but don't underestimate her!" Teddie cheered, and as Slammer got to his feet, he was slashed by the spinning Zord's long tail. "Compo Zord, blade formation!" the white Compo Zord changed into a sword, and the Megazord grabbed it with the Stego arm as Teddie appeared with the others. "Oh, it looks awesome in here!" she smiled.

"Let's see what we can do together!" Tyler cheered. "With our double bladed slash!" the Megazord began to spin, swinging both blades as Shelby sent her Triceratops to find Chase and Olivia.

* * *

"I hope Teddie and Nerida are okay..." Olivia murmured, sitting on the ground.

"Teddie is a great fighter, but she's also smart," Chase told her, leaning back against the bars. "She'll back off if she knows she can't win, and she'd protect Nerida too," Olivia found herself comforted by his words, and didn't speak. "I hope Koda made it out before Slammer caught up to him," she glanced at Chase when he spoke, looking up at the small hole above that let the light in.

"Yeah," Olivia murmured, and he met her gaze. Before anything more could be said, they heard a roar in the distance, and stood up.

"I know that noise," Chase grinned, and after a moment the wall shattered as the Tricera Zord drilled through the side of the mountain. They laughed, relieved. "Thanks Tricera," Chase nodded.

* * *

"I sentence you to destruction!" Slammer yelled, but each of his moves was blocked by the Megazord.

"Look! The Tricera Zord is back!" Tyler spotted the pink Zord racing back towards them.

"You found them! Good job!" Shelby cheered, praising the Zord.

"Chase and Olivia free!" Koda smiled.

"Now, let's finish this!" Tyler called to the others.

"Right!" Riley nodded.

"Raptor-Compo Zords! Final Flame Strike!" summoning a ball of fire, the Rangers used it to light up their blades and deliver one final strike, destroying Slammer.

"Monster extinct!" Tyler cheered.

* * *

"You really could have let us out of there when you defeated Slammer, you know," Chase complained as the group drove to the park.

"Yeah, you didn't need to make us wait even longer," Olivia grumbled.

"Well," Teddie shrugged. "I thought you might have killed each other, and I wasn't ready to face that," she told them innocently, earning glares from both as the others giggled. They pulled up, spotting the boy Koda had saved talking with his friends, telling them all about the adventure.

"He was like...like a caveman!" Peter exclaimed, and the others glanced to Koda, whose head lifted. He smiled brightly as he lifted a blue bike from the back of the jeep, warmed by the boy's comments.

"Whoa!" the other boys breathed in awe of Peter, before heading off. Peter waved goodbye, before turning around and seeing Koda approach.

"Aw, that's so cute," Teddie smiled as they saw him hug Koda tightly.

"It really is," Shelby nodded. They watched as Koda and Peter talked, before Peter offered to teach him how to ride a bike.

"Come on. I protect you, I promise," Peter said what Koda had told him in the cave, making Koda smile. He bumped fists with the boy, who began to teach him how to ride as the others laughed.

* * *

 **Fact for the chapter: For a brief time, Zoe didn't exist in this series. Originally she was to be an evil Ranger with Hunter and Blake, then after I didn't like how that worked, I took her out entirely. She wasn't brought back until a few chapters in, and I'm so glad I did. She's one of my favourite originals, rage issues and all!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	6. Breaking Black

**I admit, I got a little carried away with this chapter. So, I hope you like it!  
**

* * *

Chapter 6: Breaking Black

"Your brother is driving me insane," Shelby grumbled as she walked past Teddie taking an order.

"So that's a bronto burger with mayo, right? And a strawberry milkshake?" Teddie repeated, and the girl nodded. "Awesome, I'll get that out to you in a moment," she smiled, turning away. "What's my twin bro doing now?" she asked.

"He hasn't looked up from his phone all shift. He's taking forever to do anything," Shelby complained as she lifted a plate from a table without looking.

"I'll sort him in a moment," Teddie took the plate from her. "For now, how about focusing on what _you're_ doing?" she asked, setting the plate back down and apologising to the disgruntled customer who had still been eating.

"Oh...right," Shelby blushed, and the two went into the kitchen. "Urgh, Chase, can't you finish anything?!" she demanded, finishing the burger and stomping out with the tray. Chase didn't seem to hear her, and proceeded to pour mayo onto the counter.

"Chase!" Teddie snatched the phone from him.

"Hey!" he frowned at her, reaching to take it back, but she moved out of reach.

"Focus on the food, text later," Teddie told him, turning around to find the supplies to clean up the mayo. She frowned, sniffing the air, and looked up. "Chase!" she yelled, seeing him at a table, his eyes going wide.

"The grill!" he realised as she shouted, looking around as smoke filled the kitchen. "I'm so sorry! Sorry!" Chase sprinted back into the kitchen as Riley yelled in alarm.

* * *

Chase couldn't help but laugh in exasperation as he sat at a table, having had Kendall rant at him for his stupidity. The others looked less than impressed too.

"Come on!" he exclaimed. "One little fire!"

"That could have burned down the _entire museum_ ," Kendall pulled off her glasses to rub her eyes.

"And exposed our _base_ ," Shelby added.

"All because you saw a cute girl," Olivia rolled her eyes. Chase stood up, looking a bit more serious.

"Okay, I get it. I promise to pay more attention to-Moana!" he smiled brightly when he spotted someone walk into the restaurant.

"Who's that?" Shelby asked as Chase ran over to a woman dressed strangely, with a hat with several different coloured feathers sticking out of it.

"Moana," Teddie frowned, watching her brother hug the Maori lady.

"Chase, I need your help," Moana glanced to the others, before pulling Chase away.

"What is it?" he asked, becoming more serious as he saw her expression.

"I've had a vision," Moana explained, looking more anxious by the moment. "And...and someone is going to steal from me, something of great value," she told him. Chase glanced around, aware the others were watching them.

"Moana's a Matakite," he explained. "A Maori fortune teller from New Zealand," the others frowned.

"She lives in Briarwood though," Teddie told them, "It's where they met."

"I need you to guide my shop!" Moana pleaded.

"Really? Chase is gonna guard it?" Shelby asked with a smirk.

"Hope you have a fire extinguisher ready," Kendall couldn't resist in piping up. Chase went red as Teddie sighed, and the others giggled.

"What about the police?" Chase folded his arms.

"Oh, they think I'm crazy!" Moana giggled. "You have special strength, Chase," she encouraged him to pull his Energem into view from under his shirt. Kendall glanced to the others, and all but Teddie looked concerned. "Only you can help me," she pleaded. He stared at her, before glancing to the others. He then leaned in closer to Moana.

"What about the Mystics?" he whispered to her, but she shook her head. The others frowned, wondering what he'd said.

"I need _you_ , Chase. They may believe me, but it's you who needs to do this," she insisted. Chase sighed, and shrugged.

"Well, okay," Moana smiled brightly, and grabbed his hand. She pulled him away, and the others watched. "I can handle this-whoa!" Chase cried out as he tripped, but Moana kept pulling him away. The others looked very confused, and Ari walked in, her attention in the other direction.

"Was that Moana?" she asked, before sniffing the air. "And what happened here?" the others sighed, already exhausted. "Oh, here Shelby. I forgot to give you this the other day," Shelby looked up as Ari walked over and handed her something.

"My phone?" Shelby frowned, looking at the pink phone. "But how? Koda smashed it to bits," the caveman looked sheepish as Tyler and Teddie grinned. Riley and Kendall both frowned.

"I have my ways," Ari smiled at her, walking past.

"I saw that phone, it was in pieces, just how did she..." Kendall started, and glanced to Olivia, who looked just as curious. Shelby switched it back on, and her face lit up with joy.

"It's exactly how it was. Thank you!" Ari gave her a thumbs up as Shelby smiled at her.

* * *

The wind blew past in Briarwood, rustling the leaves of the trees, and one rippled, before Teddie stepped through. She smiled as she took in the sights of her town.

"Hey, Ted!" she looked up at waved to Jimmy as he peered out from the shop. "Haven't seen you in ages," the clumsy boy a little older than her hugged her as Teddie ran over.

"Yeah, been in Amber Beach with mum and Chase," she explained. "How's it been here?" Teddie asked, peering in the shop to see others inside working, both human and magical creatures alike.

"Ah you know. Weird," Teddie laughed at Jimmy's answer. "Dad's in Harwood at the moment dealing with the shop there, and mum's off doing something mysterious, so I've been left here to man the shop under 'supervision'," he told her. Teddie's smile widened at the last word, knowing exactly who that was.

"Teddie!" the door opened and she laughed as she was swept into a hug.

"Hey dad, I missed you too," she hugged him.

"I heard you'd be stopping by. Chase is here too, isn't he?" Xander asked, setting the much smaller girl down.

"Yeah, he should already be at Moana's shop," Teddie nodded.

"Moana? The crazy oracle lady?" Jimmy frowned. "What's he doing there?" he asked.

"Does everyone know her as the crazy lady?" Teddie asked, looking from her dad, to the boy.

"Yeah...I was here when her cat got into the shop. Man, Phineas can scream," the boy complained.

"Can you keep an eye on the place?" Xander asked him. Jimmy nodded. "Let's go make sure he's actually keeping an eye on the place," Teddie grinned, and the two headed off as Jimmy returned to Rock Porium. "How's it been going in Amber Beach?" Xander asked as the two walked through town.

"It's been fun, but it's not Briarwood," Teddie admitted. Xander patted her head, smiling slightly. "Being a Ranger though...it's been incredible," she smiled, before sighing. "Let's just hope that Olivia doesn't kill Chase or he doesn't burn the museum down..." she murmured.

"Chase tried to burn down the museum?" Xander asked mildly.

"Ah, you know, distracted by the girls again," Teddie shrugged. Xander grinned. Chase was definitely his kid. But at least he had had Ari keeping an eye on him most of the time to make sure that sort of thing didn't happen to him. "And now Moana wants him to keep an eye on her shop because she had a vision that someone's going to steal from it," Teddie said.

"Yeah, your mum said. Wonder why she asked Chase and not us," Xander wondered aloud. Despite it being many years since the Mystic Force had been active Rangers, they still responded to problems from the magical realm. The younger generation dealt with most of it, but for big problems, Xander and the others usually took care of it with their Ranger powers.

"I guess it's something to do with her vision. Or maybe because Chase saved her cat," Teddie giggled. Xander smiled in amusement.

"You could be right," he nodded as they turned the corner. The door to Moana's shop had burst open, and a monster was running off as Chase came to the door.

"Chase!" Teddie ran over as Chase followed, stopping in the doorway with his skateboard under one arm and his helmet under the other. His eyes glowed golden for a moment, and he shook his head.

"What's wrong with me?" he muttered, before sticking his helmet on. "Ted, dad! That monster just stole something from the shop!" he shouted.

"Go with Chase, I'll stay here in case that thing comes back. I'll call the others just in case," Xander told Teddie, who nodded. Chase threw down his skateboard and started chasing after the monster, shaking his head again. When he opened his eyes, they were back to normal.

"That feels better," he grinned as Teddie ran to catch up. "Guys, I'm gonna need some backup," Chase contacted the others on his communicator.

"What happened?" Teddie asked as she ran alongside him.

"The monster broke in and hit me with something," Chase told her. "We gotta catch up," he said, and she nodded.

"Energise!" the two Morphed and leapt through the air as they chased the monster.

"There he is," Chase spotted the monster slip into the warehouse. "We gotta find out what he's up to," he whispered to his sister as they peered inside. Chase then groaned, a hand to his head, and Teddie looked at him.

"Chase? What's wrong?" she asked quietly as he slouched over.

"A weird feeling again...I'll be fine," Teddie frowned, but followed Chase into the warehouse. "Stop right there!" they blasted the smoke covered form, and the monster revealed himself.

"So you're the Black Ranger! And you brought a friend!" he laughed. "Relax, soon you'll be under the control of the great Spellbinder!" he laughed.

"Wrong!" Chase shouted, firing a blast. Teddie did the same, and the two separated to dodge the retaliating blows. "No-one controls me, mate!" the Black Ranger shouted, rolling over a crate and firing another blast.

"Oh are you in for a surprise!" Spellbinder laughed as they chased him through the warehouse, firing blasts at him.

"Come back here!" Teddie shouted, and fired a blast. Spellbinder laughed, and fired his own back. Chase moved in the way, raising a shield, and the attack bounced off.

"Now that's a neat trick," Spellbinder commented, before doing the same again as Chase winced. This time, the shield cracked, and the two hit the ground. Chase cried out as the strange feeling in his head grew worse, starting to hurt.

"Chase! Teddie!" Tyler shouted as the others arrived. "Monster, you might be tough when it's two-on-one, but your odds just got a whole lot worse!" he shouted. The five grabbed their Chargers.

"Dino Steel, armour on!" they called on their weapons.

"Too slow!" Spellbinder tossed them aside, hitting them with his cape. He grabbed Shelby as she attacked, and he tossed her aside after a quick punch.

"Try this!" Olivia ran in and stabbed at him with her Halberd, only for him to block it with his cape. With a quick flick, he threw her into some crates. Tyler was then shoved back into a desk, and he fell to the ground.

"He's so fast!" Shelby groaned.

"His cape hard like rock," Koda complained.

"We got to cut through it," Olivia told them.

"Good thing I'm the hotshot," Chase stumbled into view, raising his blaster and aiming it at the large pendant that Spellbinder had stolen. "That's right Spellbinder, I'm not gonna miss this time," Chase smirked.

"Oh yeah? I think you should change your target," Spellbinder said, not seeming threatened. "Perhaps to her?" he suggested as Teddie ran over.

"What? Why would I-"

"Shoot her, Black Ranger, I command you!" Spellbinder ordered, and Chase found his body reacting, pointing the blaster at Teddie. She stumbled back from him, her eyes growing wide.

"Chase, what are you doing?!" she demanded. Chase let out a cry, clamping his eyes shut.

"What's happening to me?!" he questioned, fighting to move his blaster.

"Chase!" the others yelled.

"Don't shoot!"

"I can't control myself," Chase shook his head to try and clear it. "What's happening?" he cried, struggling to try and move the blaster from the target that was his sister.

"Chase, drop it!" Teddie spoke over the cries of horror, and Chase finally managed to react. He dropped the blaster in his hands, and sank to the ground. "Chase," Teddie reached his side, touching his shoulder.

"There's something wrong...with my head..." he whimpered.

"There's no escape! Soon you'll all be under my control!" Spellbinder laughed, but as the pendant he wore began to glow purple, the ground began to shake. "What?!" he gasped, before letting out a cry as vines burst from the ground and wrapped around him.

"Teddie?" Chase muttered weakly, but she shook her head.

"Not me," she whispered.

"Nobody messes around in our town!" all but the twins looked up in shock to see another group of Rangers approach. With capes and staffs, the five stood together. The Green Ranger held out his staff as it glowed brightly.

"Other Rangers?" Olivia gasped.

"So how about we show you how it's done!" the Pink Ranger smirked, lifting her own staff. "Magi-Staff, Wind Power!" she called, and powerful winds kicked up. The vines dropped Spellbinder, and he was tossed through the air, battered by the winds.

"Maybe you need to cool off!" the Blue Ranger blasted him with a jet of water.

"Or a little heating up!" the Red then hit him with fire, and Spellbinder shrieked before hitting the ground.

"I'm outta here!" he pushed himself up, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Where'd he go?" Tyler frowned.

"Aw, I didn't get to have a go," the Yellow Ranger complained.

"Forget it. He wasn't worth it," the Pink Ranger shook her head and patted his shoulder. "How about we go find that Orc causing trouble in the forest?" she grinned, and he cheered.

"You're the best V!" he pulled an odd pose, a victory sign at the side of his head, laughing.

"Urgh, it's been years, can't we drop that sign?" she complained.

"You guys never change," the Blue Ranger smiled.

"Uh..." they looked around as Tyler ran up with Shelby. "Thanks for the help but..."

"Who are you?" Shelby finished for him.

"Rangers these days. Don't even know their history," Pink sniffed.

"You forget that we didn't either, V," Red rolled his eyes. "We're the Mystic Force. We're the ones who usually keep the peace in this city and the forest. We'd have let you handle it but..." he glanced over to where Chase was getting to his feet. The Green Ranger walked over to them.

"You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Fine. Didn't ask for your help," Chase snapped, shrugging Teddie off. He then turned, demorphing and storming off as both his sister and father watched, shocked.

"What was that about?" Olivia asked, her hands on her hips. "He was already kind of a jerk, but that was a bit much," she commented. If they hadn't been surprised, Teddie might have laughed at her comment.

"Oh, I like her!" Pink laughed. "He's just like you, eh?" she glanced to Green, who ignored her.

"I think Spellbinder's put him under, well, a spell," Teddie turned to Olivia. "We better go and find out what's happened to him," she said to her team, worried. They nodded.

"Well uh, thanks again for the help," Tyler glanced to their predecessors.

"No sweat kid. Just be careful," Red warned them, and they watched as they ran off. Once they were gone, the Mystic Rangers demorphed.

"Man, can you believe she called Chase a jerk?" Vida laughed, leaning on Chip.

"Well, he was kinda acting like one. Least he has Teddie watching out for him," Chip grinned.

"Kinda like two others we know," Nick smiled knowingly. Maddie walked over to Xander, putting a hand on his arm.

"You alright?" she asked softly, seeing his frown. She knew it wasn't their teasing; he was far used to that by now.

"I want to know why Moana asked him to look after that pendant instead of us if it's got mind control powers," he spoke after a moment, turning to them. "She's an oracle, surely she saw that it would get Chase," Xander spoke with the concern of the worried father he was.

"Maybe it was a test?" Nick suggested. "She's weird, you know that. He'll be okay Xander, he's got his team, and Ari too. They'll snap him out of it," the Red Ranger stood beside his friend. "Trust me, I know," he insisted.

"Yeah, Nick's right," Vida spoke, seriously this time. "We both know what mind control is like from Chase's side," Vida looked to her brother-in-law. "He'll be fine. He's just grouchy because he couldn't show off, just like you," she grinned, elbowing him.

"Right," Xander rolled his eyes and rubbed his chest.

* * *

Returning to base quickly, thanks to their Zords, the Rangers took a moment to recover from their beating. As Tyler, Shelby, Riley and Olivia approached Kendall to talk to her about the battle, Koda and Teddie sat with Chase, despite him trying to push them away, wanting to stay away from the others. He still couldn't believe he'd aimed the blaster at Teddie, and if he hadn't dropped it, he would have made the shot. He knew it.

"He blocked every shot with that cape," Riley was complaining to Kendall as she worked.

" _None_ of our weapons could break through it," Shelby nodded.

"It just seemed to repel us all, no matter what we did," Olivia spoke up.

"And that," Kendall smiled, looking up from her work. "Is why you have me," she told them. A new Charger in front of her suddenly shone blue, and she lifted it. "I give you the Dino Spike Charger. It should harness the power of all seven of your Energems," she handed it to Tyler.

"Dino Spike?" Tyler repeated. "Perfect," he nodded, confident in her work.

"Just know," Kendall's smile faded. "It takes _all seven_ Rangers to activate the Dino Spike," she warned, and they looked over to where Chase was sitting. Ari was facing him, studying his face as he tried not to squirm away. His eyes flashed golden, and she sighed.

"Oh yeah, you've been whammied hard," she confirmed.

"It's in my head..." Chase closed his eyes. "I feel like I'm losing control of myself," he admitted, opening his eyes again to show they were back to normal. "But whatever he hit me with, it seemed to go away when I was on my skateboard," he told them.

"Skateboard?" Ari spoke mildly, in thought, before Chase flinched again. "The spell is only going to get stronger Chase, until it takes over completely," she warned him gravely.

"I can't let that happen. There has to be a way to break the spell," he looked up at her.

"Maybe...but Spellbinder will be tough to beat either way," Ari commented. The others nodded as they approached.

"That's for sure. We got lucky those other Rangers showed when they did," Riley commented. Ari frowned, looking up at him.

"Other Rangers?" she repeated.

"Yeah...the Mystic Force," Olivia nodded.

"Right," Ari leaned back in her seat.

"Mystic Force?" Kendall looked up, hearing them.

"Yeah, you hear of them?" Shelby glanced at her.

"Only vaguely, mostly in the rumours about Briarwood," Teddie stiffened at Kendall's words. Ari's expression hadn't changed as she continued to examine Chase.

"Rumours?" Olivia asked, curious. "Ireland never really covered anything to do with Rangers and all this stuff, so I haven't a clue," she admitted.

"It's just weird stuff, like weird creatures running around," Riley shrugged.

"Aren't they just aliens?" Shelby asked. "You know, since aliens have been running around since we were little," she reminded them.

"Well, there's also the rumour about the dragon that's been spotted there. But these rumours have been going around since around 2006, when the Mystic Force Rangers first popped up," Kendall explained, and Olivia, Riley and Shelby stared at her.

"Uh...did you say a _dragon_?" Shelby demanded.

"A dragon..." Tyler frowned, as if remembering something. "Did you know that a dragon's scale is supposed to hold enough energy to light the world?" he asked. Ari's eyes shone as she glanced to him, grinning widely.

"Uh...that'd be cool and all, but dragons aren't real," Riley told him firmly. Tyler shrugged.

"You're saying that, when we're Power Rangers searching for crystals with powers of their own that stop us from ageing," he pointed out. Riley hesitated, before shaking his head.

"No way man. No way I'll ever believe in dragons," he said firmly. Teddie met her mother's gaze, neither saying anything. Ari then hummed to herself.

"What do you know about that pendant that Spellbinder stole?" she asked Chase, and his eyes widened.

"Moana!" he shot to his feet, only to wince.

"Easy Chase," Riley steadied him. Chase groaned, putting a hand to his head as he sat down again.

"She'll know where it came from," he told them.

"You mean...the lady of black magic?" Koda whispered.

"It's not black magic," Chase told him sharply. "Trust me. Moana's on our side," he told them confidently. Tyler sighed.

"Stay here. We'll figure out how to break the spell," he told the Black Ranger. "Let's go talk to Moana," he decided, and the others followed him out as Chase stayed behind with Kendall and Ari. As soon as they left, Chase pushed himself up.

"Hey, Chase, stop," Ari called, getting up too. "You know that it's not a wise move to go with them. With Spellbinder in your head, you could end up doing something to harm the others," she warned him. Chase clamped his eyes shut, not turning around.

"If only I'd stayed focused in the shop," he murmured. "Spellbinder never would have gotten that pendant," he groaned.

"There's no point beating yourself up over mistakes that were made. Trust me, I know," Ari smiled gently, turning him around to face her. "But you can learn from it and not make the same mistake again. Now, I have to call your dad and see just why he neglected to tell me he helped save your butt," Chase couldn't help but smile as she hugged him gently and walked off. He then sighed, the guilt still there.

* * *

Moana searched through what seemed to be handwritten notes, searching for information on the pendant that had been stolen. Finally, she came to a picture of the pendant and gasped.

"This is the pendant that was stolen," she told them. "It was forged from an evil heart in the darkest part of New Zealand," Moana warned, her eyes lingering on Teddie.

"You can't mean..." she trailed off, horror in her gut. Moana nodded.

"I mean of the Dunedin Kingdom, before the Light was restored," she confirmed, and Teddie closed her eyes. No wonder the thing was powerful enough to control her brother's mind. "You must destroy it, or soon Chase will forget he's your friend, and turn against you," Moana moved out from behind her counter and approached them with her warning.

"We have a weapon that might be strong enough," Tyler spoke up. "But it won't work without Chase," he admitted.

"If he can focus, Chase can push the spell from his mind long enough to use your weapon," Moana told them. Riley snorted, earning her attention.

"I highly doubt it," he scoffed.

"Chase has the attention span of a flea," Shelby rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we're doomed if we have to rely on Chase's attention span," Olivia added in.

"You underestimate him," they looked at Teddie as she spoke quietly. She gave a small smile, unable to hide her worry for him. "I'm not just saying it 'cause he's my twin or anything, but Chase is capable of focusing, when he really has to," she said.

"Long ago, your friend Chase proved to me that he can focus, and _very deeply_ , even in the most dire of situations," Moana told them firmly, looking serious. "It happened one day, as I was closing my shop," Moana turned around, and a cat jumped onto the counter with a meow. Teddie smiled, and petted the ginger cat, who purred and rubbed against her. Moana then explained how Chase saved her cat from a truck, and she'd rewarded him with the Black Energem.

"So that's how Chase got his Energem," Riley couldn't help but smile.

"It so easy for him," Koda smiled. "I froze in glacier for thousands of years," the others couldn't help but laugh.

"Focus...his skateboard!" Teddie realised. "When he was on his skateboard, he said it felt better," she reminded them.

"When he's on his skateboard, Chase can push everything else from his mind," Moana nodded, smiling at her.

"Kendall says Spellbinder's returned," Tyler returned to the group. "And Chase...he's disappeared," he added gravely. "Thanks Moana, but we've gotta go," they ran off to find Spellbinder.

* * *

Wrench furiously kicked a box out of the way as he stormed over to Spellbinder, who was sitting on a crate with another creature, this one with orange hair tied in pigtails, wearing a large green hat.

"You told Sledge that the Black Ranger was under your control!" he yelled as Spellbinder stood.

"Relax," Spellbinder rolled his eyes and patted the robot's shoulder. "He's going to join us soon," he said confidently, before looking around as the Rangers hurried into view.

"Wrong on both accounts," Tyler growled.

"Chase _never_ join you!" Koda declared.

"It's too late for your friend! And now your time is up!" Spellbinder fired blasts at the group, who dove out of the way to dodge them.

"You'll all be under Spellbinder's control soon!" Curio declared, attacking Shelby and Teddie.

"No way! We'll destroy him first!" Teddie told him confidently, kicking Curio back and jumping away with Shelby. The Pink Ranger then kicked a trolley at him, and Curio stepped on it, tripping and falling over. However, Spellbinder then blasted them, and the two cried out as they landed on the ground with the others.

"We've got to try...the Dino Spike..." Tyler groaned.

"But...we need Chase," Koda reminded him.

"Your turn!" Spellbinder laughed, and blasted Riley with the mind control power. The Green Ranger cried out, and the purple light hit Tyler, Koda and Shelby next. It then hit Olivia, and Teddie ducked behind a crate. "You're mine now Rangers!" Spellbinder declared as the four fell to their knees, struggling to keep control as Chase walked over and stood beside Spellbinder. "Just like your friend," Teddie's eyes widened.

"Chase! No!" she cried out.

"What is your command?" Chase asked, looking at Spellbinder.

"Destroy her," Teddie choked as Chase turned his glowing golden eyes on her.

"No, Chase, please, focus!" she pleaded with him, her eyes stinging with tears as he turned to face her completely.

"Stop!" Tyler managed to push himself up enough to aim his blaster at Spellbinder. Chase glanced to him, and Teddie felt horror settle in her stomach.

"Tyler, don't!" she tried, but he fired a blast, aiming for the pendant, only for it to bounce harmlessly off a golden light that shone between them and Chase. It would have hit Tyler again, only for golden light to connect with it and cancel it out.

"What?" Shelby gasped. The air between Chase and them shimmered with more golden light, and Tyler looked to Teddie, who was lowering her hand.

"You guys have powers too?" he questioned, before realising what he'd said.

"Too?" Olivia frowned at him.

"Later! Just _don't_ attack Chase, you'll never hit him," Teddie warned them as Chase let the shield fade. He started walking towards Teddie, who backed away. "Dammit..." she breathed as he lifted his blaster and aimed it at her, and as Teddie backed away, her foot bumped the trolley Shelby had used on Curio. She glanced at it, before kicking the trolley. Chase stood on it, starting to roll along, and the light in his eyes flickered.

"Destroy her! I command you!" Spellbinder roared. Chase shook his head, his eyes returning to normal, and he grabbed a barrel, using it to spin around and aim the blaster at the monster. He smirked.

"Command this," he said, firing a blast at Spellbinder. It hit the pendant, and Spellbinder screamed, thrown through the air. As he landed, the others were able to get to their feet, the spell destroyed. "Nice work Ted, I owe you," Chase smiled to his sister, who bumped his fist.

"Just don't make me have to save your butt again dude. You owe me," she grinned, and they joined the others.

"Where he go?" Koda asked, and Wrench got up, throwing a crate aside.

"Oh no, they've broken the spell!" he realised in horror, running over to Spellbinder as the monster got up.

"I may not be able to control you, but I'll still destroy you!" he vowed, furious.

"Sorry, but your time is up," Chase smirked. "It's Morphin Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" they Morphed and landed outside, calling on Dino Steel. "Dinosaur Might, ready to fight!"

"Power Rangers..."

"Dino Charge!"

"I don't like them..." Curio groaned, and the three ran to face the Rangers, who used their weapons to easily outmatch them. Using their Tricera Drill and Compo Blades, Shelby and Teddie easily sent Curio flying, while Olivia, Koda and Riley threw Wrench aside.

"He keeps blocking with that cape!" Tyler frowned as each move he and Chase made missed.

"Well, how about the Dino Spike?" Olivia asked, hand on her hip as she rested her Scelido Spear over her shoulder.

"Kendall said we had to have all seven of us to make it work, right?" Tyler looked to his team.

"I'm ready if you are," Chase said confidently.

"That's what I like to hear!" Tyler laughed, grabbing the new Charger. "Dino Charger, ready! Weapons combine!" they combined their weapons together to form the Dino Spike.

"Red Ranger launch!" the others helped Tyler leap into the air, and he caught the weapon.

"Dino Spike Final Strike!" he slammed into Spellbinder, destroying him. "Awesome!" Tyler laughed as Spellbinder shrieked, exploding.

"Wait for it..." Teddie hummed, before Spellbinder returned in a blast of green light.

"Not again," Tyler complained.

"I handle this," Koda went to move, only for Chase to stop him.

"Wait. I got a score to settle with this crow," he said, grabbing a Charger. "Dino Charger, ready! Summon Para Zord!" Chase summoned his black Zord, which leapt through the air and blasted Spellbinder, before landing beside the T-Rex Zord. "Urgh, I almost had him," Chase complained.

"How about we summon your Para Zord with the Dino Charge Megazord!" Tyler suggested, putting his arm around the Black Ranger. "Come on! We'll have awesome new power!" he grinned.

"Wait, I'm not sure about this," Riley shook his head. "You really think we're ready?" he asked, uncertain.

"Well, how about a little more help, to be sure?" Olivia smiled, lifting her own Charger. "Dino Charger, ready! Summon Scelido Zord!" she tossed it through the air, and Spellbinder cried out as a dark green Zord landed on his head, forcing him to land.

"You guys broke me outta that spell, now it's time to return the favour," Chase nodded. Tyler bounced up and down, laughing in delight.

"Dino Charge Megazord, Para-Scelido formation!"

"This bird brain's in for a surprise," Chase said as he inserted his blaster into the console.

"Time to get charged up!" the three called. Spellbinder hurled more feathers at them, only for them to raise the Scelido arm and block the damage with the shield.

"Was that it?" Olivia asked innocently, and they blasted him with the Para Zord repeatedly, before leaping into the air and catching Teddie's Compo Zord as it turned into a sword.

"How about a little bit of sword play?" Teddie asked as she landed beside them.

"Bladed Compo Slash!" the Rangers slashed him, making Spellbinder scream.

"Now you're under our command," Chase grinned.

"Let's barbecue this chicken!"

"Para Zord, Fireball Finish!" the Rangers fired one final move, and destroyed the monster.

"Monster extinct!" Tyler grinned.

* * *

Chase slid down into the base after saying goodbye to Moana, letting his Energem fly to the crystal bed. Seeing the others already there, he smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks, for today guys. I owe you," he told them as he took a seat.

"It's okay, we're over it," Tyler smiled.

"Yeah, we're just gonna get you to pay us back later," Teddie grinned. Chase rolled his eyes and nudged her.

"Well, I'd settle for knowing what you guys did earlier," Chase glanced to Riley as he spoke. "You know, that strange glowing light that blocked Tyler's attack, and the one that destroyed it before it hit him?" he asked, looking from one to the other. Ari had looked up from her laptop, watching them.

"Yeah, and Tyler said about you guys having powers _too_ ," Shelby remembered, looking at the boy beside her. He glanced away, looking conflicted.

"We...uh..." Teddie hesitated, before Tyler sighed and stood up.

"There's something I've been hiding from you guys, from the start," he admitted, walking over to the computers. The others followed, all but Teddie and Chase baffled. "My dad. I said he went missing 10 years ago, on an expedition," the Red Ranger told them, and they nodded. "I never told you his name," Tyler spoke softly. "Or even my last name," their eyes widened as they realised he was right. "My last name is Hartford. My dad is Mack Hartford," they gaped at his confession.

"Mack Hartford...as in the billionaire whose family are in pretty much every kind of business out there?" Shelby demanded.

"As in the same Hartford family who funded some of my own digs?" Kendall asked, surprised. When she'd gone to look into Tyler, Riley and Shelby when they'd become Rangers, Ari had told her she'd take care of it. "Wait.." Kendall turned around to the computer and started typing. "Mack Hartford, Overdrive Red Ranger," she read. Tyler nodded wordlessly.

"No way...your _dad_ was a Power Ranger?" Shelby breathed.

"My mum too. The Pink Overdrive Ranger," Tyler added in.

"No way..." Olivia breathed, stunned.

"But the powers thing..." Riley frowned. Tyler smiled slightly.

"When the Overdrive Rangers _became_ Rangers, they had their DNA resequenced. They got powers, and I inherited them," he explained, and as if to show them, he began to ripple, and vanished from sight. He then reappeared again, and effortlessly lifted Koda into the air.

"You strong, like caveman!" the Blue Ranger laughed. Tyler grinned, setting him down.

"Why'd you never tell us?" Shelby asked, looking a little hurt. Tyler met her gaze, his smile drooping a little.

"Because I didn't want you guys to judge me, for having a rich family, or for having Rangers for parents," he explained, and Shelby watched him for a moment, before smiling.

"Right...thanks for telling us now," she smiled, and he smiled back.

"Yeah man, it's cool you trust us with it," Riley nodded, patting his back as he walked over. Chase and Teddie exchanged looks, before Teddie groaned.

"I so blame you for this, you know," she complained.

"I was under a spell!" Chase defended, and Ari laughed, getting to her feet.

"Alright, you two, enough," she soothed, walking over. "You knew it was inevitable, so don't fight," Ari leaned against the counter. "Teddie and Chase have powers too, for the same reason I knew Tyler and he knew me. I chose not to say anything since he didn't," Tyler shot her a grateful smile as the others looked curious. "I was part of the Overdrive team too," Ari admitted.

" _You_ were a Power Ranger?" Olivia asked, shocked.

"Whoa..." Riley breathed.

"No way," Shelby looked stunned. Kendall looked just as amazed. None of them had expected it from the woman. While she always seemed to know more than she let on, they'd never expected her to be a former Ranger.

"Hey, don't look so surprised, I might get offended," Ari said lightly, looking amused. They blushed, murmuring an apology. "Mack's a good friend of mine, and I've been helping search for him. Just like Tyler, that search led me to info on the Energems, and that's how I met Keeper and Kendall," she explained.

"Man, this is just getting crazier by the day," Riley complained. Olivia nodded in agreement. Koda still looked a little confused by it all.

"Go home and get some rest, I doubt the crazy will fade any time soon," Ari told them, and as the group went to leave, she called Chase back. "And you might want to call your dad and apologise for being a grouch. He may have been just as bad when he was a Ranger, but I made him apologise just the same," she smiled, and Chase nodded, holding in a groan as Teddie laughed at him.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	7. The Tooth Hurts

**Sorry for the long gap between this chapter and the last, I really wanted to finish writing my Bleach fic, Threads of Fate, before continuing on with this story. Plus Stormblood got released and that's taken up a lot of my focus lately.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 7: The Tooth Hurts

Holding the Black Energem in her hand, Ari studied it curiously, watching it shimmer in the light of the base.

"I wonder..." she murmured, letting it return to the crystal bed. She walked back to her notes that were scattered on the desk. She scribbled notes, muttering to herself and barely noticing Riley's irritated growls as he continued to fail to hit the tennis balls shot his way.

The Green Ranger continued to practice a set of moves, holding his sabre so it pointed backwards, trying to hit each tennis ball thrown his way, but missed the last one every time. He was then distracted by a loud slurp as Chase took a drink, not looking up from the video he was watching, and stumbled, hitting the ground.

"Hello!" Riley snapped as he turned to scowl at the Black Ranger. "Chase!" he yelled when he didn't notice. Another tennis ball flew at him suddenly, clipping Riley between the shoulders and making him grunt in pain. Chase finally looked up, still slurping his drink, and pulled his headphones down.

"Um?"

"I'm trying to focus here!" Riley exclaimed, and Chase noticed the tennis balls all over the floor. "You should know how hard that can be," he complained as Ari looked up, watching the pair.

"But bro, you just keep practising the same sword move, over and over," Chase rolled his eyes.

"I have my reasons, okay?" Riley sighed. Chase watched him expectantly, and he shrugged. "Look, when Fury attacked me to get the Green Energem...I wasn't able to keep up. _That's_ why I practice!" he snapped. "So next time, I'm ready," Riley lifted his sword again and turned away. Chase sighed, and got up.

"Look, we both want to defeat Fury," Chase said as he lifted his skateboard. "But the next attack could be different. If I was you, I'd use your instincts, and adapt, eh? So you're ready for any situation" he suggested with a smile. Ari couldn't help but smile, impressed with his advice. However, Riley bristled, taking offence.

"Okay, you giving _me_ training advice?" he laughed mockingly. "Right! I've never seen you train! Not once!" Riley brushed past him as Chase's smile dropped. He glanced to Ari, who shrugged. It wasn't her battle to fight. Chase then frowned, hurt by Riley's words. He didn't know him, and yet he judged him as harshly as ever.

"Just because I don't train the same way as you, doesn't mean I don't train!" he said to Riley, storming past. "I'm going out," he called on his Energem and stormed out.

"Have _fun_!" Riley mocked, and Chase retaliated with a loud slurp. Riley spun around to snap at him again, only for a tennis ball to hit him in the forehead. Ari winced sympathetically.

"Man, Rangers really just don't get on right away, huh?" she chuckled to herself, watching Riley as he continued to try and practice, but his bad mood just made it worse. Shaking her head, Ari turned back to her notes.

* * *

"I sure hope Kendall's right about the Gold Energem," Tyler said as they gathered in the restaurant, looking over a map. "Kendall says we should check the south-west creek beds," he pointed to the location on the map, by Riley. The younger boy looked at it, before looking up again.

"Okay, we're looking for pterodactyl fossils," the Green Ranger told the others. "That's the dinosaur that bonded with the Gold Energem," he explained as Koda looked a little confused.

"Free samples," Shelby walked over, carrying a tray with slices of cake. "Chef's trying a new recipe," she said, setting it down.

"I like the colour," Teddie smiled, lifting a slice.

"Awesome!" Tyler went to take a bite, only for Riley to slap it out of his hand. "Hm, a bit tasteless," the Red Ranger spoke sarcastically, frowning at Riley.

"What's up with you?" Olivia frowned, the cake halfway to her mouth.

"Nobody touch it," Riley told them quickly, and Teddie stopped Koda before he could take a bite.

"Chill bro," Chase rolled his eyes, still hurt from Riley's earlier comments. "A little cake never hurt anyone," he said, but Riley wasn't looking at him.

"Yeah? Tell that to them," they finally noticed the groans of pain around them. Everyone around them was groaning in pain, hands to their jaws as their teeth shimmered purple. Chase and Teddie turned quickly, hearing a low laugh.

"Hey!" Chase yelled, directing their attention to the monster in the kitchen.

"You guys take the front, we'll go through the kitchen!" Tyler shouted as they split up, with Chase, Riley and Teddie going in one direction while the others went through the kitchen. Finding the real chef tied up, they went to help him, and Tyler grabbed his Dino-Comm. "He escaped out the back," he warned, running after him.

* * *

Running up the stairs, the three Rangers spotted Cavity running away.

"We got a visual," Riley spoke into his own communicator.

"ENERGISE!" the three grabbed their blasters and inserted the Chargers. "UNLEASH THE POWER!" they Morphed as they ran, and continued run after Cavity, firing blasts at him. They managed to blast him, and the monster fell to the ground as they blocked his path.

"Someone needs a dental plan," Chase commented, aiming his blaster at Cavity and seeing his teeth.

"Gross," Teddie complained.

"I'm going to rot _more_ than just your teeth!" he declared, and spat purple energy at them. They dove aside, and the blasts hit the tree behind them, rotting it. Teddie shuddered as she felt the rot kill the tree.

"It's decaying," Chase gulped.

"This guy is serious," Riley murmured.

"Don't let him escape! He'll rot the entire city!" Tyler yelled as he ran up, seeing what had happened.

"Vivix, attack!" Tyler started fighting the footsoldiers, leaving the other three to fight Cavity. "I'll beat you like eggs!" the monster declared.

"I can take him," Riley walked forwards, drawing his sabre. Chase gave a mocking laugh.

"By my guest, let's just hope he shoots tennis balls at you," he taunted. Teddie frowned at the exchange.

"Is that supposed to be funny?!" Riley snapped, turning around.

"Riley!" Teddie cried out, leaping in the way and knocking the blast fired at Riley aside. "Don't take your eyes off the enemy. Save your own stupid fight for when we beat this guy," she scolded as Riley went red, unable to believe he'd done something so stupid. Teddie deflected each attack with ease, and when Cavity ran at them, Chase stepped forwards.

"Let me show you what my training can do," Chase went to blast him, but Riley shoved him.

"Stop goofing off! I had him till you started being a jerk!" he shouted.

"Guys!" Teddie groaned, and Cavity hit the two with his whisk, making them cry out and hit the ground. Teddie blocked the next strike with her sabre, fighting him off, but he was powerful, and knocked her to the ground too with a powerful hit that made her demorph.

"Teddie!" Chase yelled, seeing his sister on the ground injured.

"Hold on guys!" looking up after beating the Vivix, Tyler saw that the fight wasn't going in their favour. "I'm coming!" he ran to help them as Cavity turned on the Green and Black Rangers.

"Until next time!" he laughed, vanishing.

"Whoa, that monster's crazy fast," Tyler frowned as Shelby, Koda and Olivia caught up.

"He got away..." Riley groaned.

"Teddie! You okay?" Koda asked as he helped the White Ranger up. She groaned, a hand to her stomach, and nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, I'm good. But no thanks to those idiots," she then shot a scowl at the other two fallen Rangers.

"What happened guys?" Tyler asked, turning to them.

"You okay Riley?" Shelby asked as she helped him up, and he pulled out of her grasp.

"Yeah," he told her offhandedly, before storming over to Chase and shoving him. "You need to quit fooling around," Riley shouted at the startled boy. "Teddie got hurt because of it!" Chase's fists clenched as he glared at the shorter Ranger, but didn't speak. Riley then turned and ran off.

"What is with you two? You've been like this all day," Olivia frowned at Chase. He sighed, shaking his head.

"He just doesn't get me," he muttered, turning to Teddie and demorphing. "I'm sorry Ted, you alright?" he asked her, and she sighed, unable to stay mad at Chase.

"I'm fine. Just...help him understand. Don't antagonise him," she told him gently.

* * *

Kendall and Riley worked together, trying to analyse the cake and work out an antidote. As they did, the other Rangers cleaned up, letting them get to it.

"You sure you're okay Teddie?" Olivia asked, seeing the White Ranger wince as she stretched.

"I'm fine, thanks Oli," Olivia blinked at the nickname, but didn't question it. "It hurts a little, but that's part of the course of being a Ranger," Teddie told her, continuing to wash the dishes.

"Teddie strong," Koda smiled, making the White Ranger blush.

"Not strong, that's you and Tyler," she said, making them laugh. Ever since Tyler had admitted his true heritage, they'd encouraged him to use his powers, entertained by it, but it also helped out a lot at times. "I'm just worried about Chase and Riley, they're really starting to clash," she admitted.

"Understandable, they're as different as night and day," Olivia shrugged.

"That's for sure," Shelby grinned as Teddie smiled at the comparison. "Riley's so dedicated to his training, it's all he seems to do. And Chase..."

"Chase has a much more laid back approach in life," they looked around as Ari dropped in more plates. She'd decided to help out, after the monster had managed to slip in undetected, and help clean up the mess left behind. "Just like someone else I know," Ari murmured to herself, smiling softly. "I'm honestly surprised it took them this long to start fighting," she remarked, watching Riley as he and Kendall studied the cake samples they'd collected.

"But Chase does train. He takes this seriously," Teddie defended her brother.

"We know," Tyler patted her shoulder.

"Chase has heart," Koda tapped his fist to his heart. "He good Ranger," he nodded, smiling. Teddie smiled back thankfully at the Blue Ranger.

"We might not get on all the time..." Olivia paused as they all snorted, including Ari. She went red. "But even I have to admit that he's a decent Ranger. When he's focused and not picking girls up,"she shrugged.

"Which isn't that often," Shelby grinned. "Riley will get that eventually too," she told Teddie, before they heard Riley cry out.

"Hey _stop_! What are you doing?!" he demanded, and they saw Chase had been clearing up the cake on the table.

"I'm cleaning up...that's what I'm supposed to be doing, right?" he blinked at Riley, confused.

"No, not _these_! We need to figure out what's going on first!" Riley snapped at him. Chase sighed.

"My instincts tell me, that what's going on, is that if you _eat the cake_ , you get a tooth-ache!" Chase argued. Riley let out a groan of frustration as the others watched, wary.

"It's not that simple!"

"It _is_ that simple!"

"We need to _analyse_ it first!" Riley emphasized, and this time it was Chase who let out a frustrated growl.

"You always love to analyse things!" he complained. Kendall stared at the two, not quite sure what to make of what was going on.

"Yes!" Riley nodded, not understanding his problem with it.

"Look," Chase had had enough. He up-ended the bin onto the table, emptying food and rubbish everywhere. "Analyse that!" he snapped as Riley stared at the mess. The others tried to hide their laughter, unable to believe the two.

"Oh, enough!" Kendall finally stepped in. "Both of you, out of here, and don't come back until you sort this out," she ordered, and Riley stared at her, as if unable to believe she wasn't taking his side. Without a word, Chase lifted his skateboard and rolled out of the restaurant.

"You can't skate in here!" Riley yelled after him. He then saw that Kendall was still scowling at him, and with a grumble, he slunk out as well.

"Well...that was uh...something," Tyler commented, before glancing around as he heard Teddie giggle.

"It's not often you see Chase lose his temper like that," she shrugged, and seeing their baffled looks, she giggled again.

* * *

Riley let out a frustrated yell, close to tossing his sabre to the ground, as he missed hitting the ball again. He'd been training for about an hour, and he hadn't hit a single ball.

"Anger clouds your judgement. That's why you shouldn't fight when you're mad," he jumped, letting out a yell, at the voice behind him. He spun around, eyes wide, to see Ari leaning against the console.

"How...when..."

"Like I said, anger clouds your judgement. I've been here twenty minutes," she smiled slightly. Of course, very few actually detected her presence until she wanted them to, but Riley didn't need to know that. "Want to talk?" Ari asked, approaching.

"It's nothing. Just an off day," he shook his head, turning away from her.

"If it's Chase, you don't need to hold back just because of who I am," Ari said, taking his sabre and studying it. "Go ahead. Best to get it off your chest, unless you want the next battle to go the same way as the last," she said lightly. Riley groaned, shaking his head.

"He doesn't take anything seriously!" he admitted, feeling strange to be saying this to his mother. Ari hummed, not looking up from his sword as she continued to study it.

"Personally, I believe Chase's intentions to be as sincere as yours. And that's coming from an unbiased side of me. I don't hold back when it comes to something as important as being a Power Ranger," she said. "Why do you believe this? Because of how he approaches situations compared to how you would?" Ari asked. Riley shook his head.

"It's all a big joke to him!" he said, trying to figure out the best way to explain how he felt. "That monster's on the loose, and where's Chase? He goes _skateboarding_!" Riley exclaimed, angry.

"Not everything is quite so straightforward, Riley," Ari kicked a tennis ball up and caught it without looking. "After all, can't two different paths..." she tossed the tennis ball into the bucket, before another shot out from the machine. Ari reacted immediately, spinning and hitting the ball. It bounced around the room, narrowly missing Riley, before landing in the bucket. "Meet at the end all the same?" she asked, smiling. Riley stared at her as she spun the sword, and handed it back to him. "Think about it Riley. There's more than one path in life. Especially as a Ranger," she patted his head and walked off. "Oh, and with that move you've been practising. Less flourish, more footwork," Ari winked, leaving the base. Riley watched her leave, mulling it over.

* * *

"Hey Riley, cool off yet?" Teddie asked with a smile as she walked in, and moved her head to dodge the tennis ball flying at her.

"Oh, sorry," he apologised, lowering his stance.

"It's cool, I should remember that you practice a lot down here," the White Ranger commented, walking past and lifting a tennis ball.

"Hey, you're feeling better already?" Riley asked, noticing her less careful movements.

"Told you I'd be fine," Teddie laughed, not about to tell him that her mother's glowing had helped the healing along. "How are you now?" she asked.

"I'm alright, I guess. I talked to Ari about it, and she gave me some advice...but..." Riley trailed off.

"It's hard to believe, I get it," Teddie nodded, looking sympathetic. "But give it time. You'll come to get to know Chase, and I hope we'll all get to know each other more. There's so much we don't know, and I wanna get to know you more," Teddie smiled at him. Riley watched her, curious, a trace of a blush in his cheeks.

"Right..." he nodded, before his Dino-Comm went off beside Teddie. He opened the link, and Chase's voice echoed out.

' _I found our cake maker, and he's rotting more than teeth. Better hurry_ ,' he warned, and Riley frowned.

"Chase found him?" he muttered. Teddie smiled as she saw confusion give way to some respect for her brother, and the two hurried out.

* * *

Chase crashed to the ground, letting out a cry as his teeth sang with pain. They glowed purple, a giveaway that Cavity had hit him with his spell. His eyes widened as Cavity went to finish him off, only for a sabre to block his path.

"Riley?" Chase stared up at the Green Ranger who had saved him.

"Excellent, another Ranger to destroy!" Cavity laughed, only to cry out when two golden lights slammed into his face and knocked him back.

"Think again," Teddie stood on Chase's other side. Riley then deflected Cavity's next blow, and Chase punched him, before flinching as the pain grew worse.

"We'll protect you!" Riley shoved him out of the way and knocked Cavity backwards.

"Don't even try! If you hold still, it'll hurt less!" Cavity attacked the other two Rangers, who dodged his attacks, and shoved him back. "Are you listening?" he demanded, but his next blast deflected off the shimmering shield Chase raised to defend the two.

"That'll never not be weird," Riley commented, before Chase cried out and put a hand to his mouth again. The shield faded immediately, before they heard another voice.

"Riley, Teddie, duck!" the two glanced around, and hit the ground. Koda, Tyler, Shelby and Olivia rushed into view, firing their blasters and hitting Cavity. As he rolled away, Riley crouched beside Chase.

"I thought you were at the skate park," Riley frowned. Chase looked up, confusion mixing with the pain.

"Why would I be messing around when that chef is still on the loose?" he asked, not understanding. Teddie smiled in amusement as Riley finally understood Ari's words.

"Yeah, guess you wouldn't be," he accepted.

"Trust me, even though we do things differently, we fight for the same thing," Chase told him. Riley smiled, and he and Teddie helped him to his feet. As he stood, Chase cried out in pain again.

"I'm sorry, I thought that you were-"

"Forget it. Just destroy those rotten teeth of his," Chase patted his shoulder as he passed him.

"Good find Chase," Tyler smiled. "Now let's destroy this chef," the group lined up together.

"It's Morphin Time," Riley grinned, lifting his Dino Charger. "Dino Chargers-" Riley was interrupted by Chase's cry of pain.

"You okay?" Koda asked his friend, who nodded.

"Go," Chase told them.

"Ready! ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" they Morphed, and Chase groaned again.

"You're all mine!" Cavity yelled, not seeming threatened.

"Power Rangers Charge! Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger-ah!" Chase cried out in pain as he tried to speak.

"Hey, don't force it hotshot," Riley sighed as Chase fell to one knee, clutching at his helmet. "Next!"

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Dinosaur Might, ready to fight!"

"Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"I'll rot all your teeth this time!" Cavity declared.

"You'll never beat our team!" Tyler yelled, and Cavity called on the Vivix. The Rangers attacked, with Chase struggling to fight through the pain.

"Try this on!" Olivia weaved around the Vivix, moving fluidly to dodge each attack, and kicked one hard. It slammed into the others, and they fell to the ground. Turning, she shot the ones behind her with dark green energy, and leapt into the air to finish them off.

"No, don't!" after Riley had saved him from the Vivix overwhelming him, Chase saw Tyler, Koda and Shelby go to blast Cavity in his teeth. He rushed over, raising another shield, and it blocked the attacks, but shattered as a result.

"Thanks," Tyler nodded.

"The blasters aren't strong enough...I learned that the hard way," Chase spoke through gritted teeth.

"Who wants to be next?" Cavity challenged.

"Let's try your Para-Chopper and my Dino Sabre," Riley suggested.

"Together? That might just work," Chase nodded, holding out the Dino Charger.

"I'm adapting to the situation," Riley grinned, and both laughed. "Dino Charger, ready!" he activated it and slotted it into his sabre. "Dino Sabre!" Riley ran towards Cavity, deflecting each attack thrown his way. "Here's a taste of Green and Black! Power slash!" he hurled a powerful strike, before following it up with more. "Gotcha!" Riley grinned as the smoke cleared to reveal that Cavity's teeth were destroyed.

"My teeth!" he wailed. "My beautiful teeth!" he stumbled away.

"Now it's your turn for a new combo, Chase," Riley tossed him a Charger as the others cheered them on.

"Sweet bro. Dino Charger ready!"

"This doesn't look good," Cavity gulped.

"Get him bro!" Teddie cheered.

"Dino Morpher Blast, final strike!" the Black and Green spiralling attack slammed into Cavity as Riley rolled out of the way. Cavity shrieked, and exploded.

"Now that's a hotshot!" Riley laughed.

"Good on you, mate," Chase nodded, grinning as the pain faded.

"Finally, you guys are starting to get along," Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, too bad not all of us can get along," Teddie giggled at Tyler's words. The Red Ranger nudged Olivia, who scowled at him.

"It's not my fault she's so hostile," Chase shrugged.

"Why did you even say anything?" Riley groaned as Teddie continued to laugh.

"Me? Hostile? Only because you're a jerk!" Olivia spat back. Their argument was cut short as green light shot down from the sky and hit the ground in front of them, resurrecting Cavity and making him grow.

"The rotten teeth are back," Koda realised as Cavity let out a yell.

"Destroying you is going to make my smile even brighter!" he declared. As if to prove it, his teeth shone in the bright sunlight.

"We need the Dino Charge Megazord!"

"Dino Charger, Ready!" Tyler, Shelby and Koda summoned their Zords to form the Tri-Stego formation.

"This will be a piece of cake!" Cavity cheered, and the three activated the Megazord, but they weren't any match for him, thrown around.

"That is one tough Cavity," Chase shook his head.

"We need to get in there and help," Riley groaned.

"I have an idea, if we knock him back..."

"We'll have an opening to get into the cockpit!" Riley figured out Chase's plan, and Teddie clapped him on the shoulder, walking past with Olivia.

"A knock back, huh? We can do that!" Teddie declared, grabbing her Dino Charger. "Dino Charger, ready! Summon Compo Zord!"

"Summon Scelido Zord!" the two Zords bounced into view as they were called upon, and slammed into Cavity. As he was thrown back, the four were able to reach the cockpit too.

"Let's see how he handles all seven of us! Yeah!" Tyler cheered.

"My Compy is ready for some action! Let's take this dude down together!" Teddie told them as her Zord roared.

"You said it! All seven ready!" they cheered, and called on Teddie's Zord to form a sword.

"Compo Sabre!" Cavity cried out as they struck him repeatedly, destroying his teeth again.

"No! I need false teeth!" he wailed.

"Ain't that the tooth!" Tyler laughed.

"Compo Zord! Final Slash!" racing towards Cavity, they destroyed him with one final strike.

* * *

"Urgh...why do I have to be here?" Olivia complained as they approached the training grounds where Riley usually trained, and found Chase sitting beside him, switching to a pair of running shoes. Riley stood up, laughing, and spotted them coming. Nerida barked, running over and wagging her tail.

"Because we're gonna train as a team," Teddie told her firmly.

"But the waves look so good today," the Forest Ranger complained.

"They'll still be there when we're done," Tyler told her. Olivia looked dubious. "You were pretty awesome against Cavity," Tyler told Riley, who blushed at the praise.

"So we figured, maybe we should train with you," Shelby smiled.

"Great! Well, the first rule, is no rules," Riley grinned. Koda looked completely lost.

"Seriously?" Chase looked stunned at how lax the Green Ranger had suddenly made it. "Well in that case...I'll ride," he decided.

"So...no rules...how can that be rule?" Koda asked, baffled. Teddie giggled, patting his arm.

"Just use your instincts, and adapt to whatever happens," Riley unzipped his jacket.

"Adapt?" Chase caught his shoulder, looking worried. "It could be dangerous," he whispered.

"Just see if you can keep up, hotshot," Riley taunted back, both of them laughing. Riley took off, tossing his jacket aside, and they watched him leap over a bench with a flip.

"Great, we're on a team with a bunch of show-offs," Olivia sighed as the guys all flipped and leapt down the track.

"Come on, or you'll get left behind," Teddie laughed at her. Nerida raced ahead, taking it as a competition, and Olivia smiled, unable to resist getting into the spirit, and they all laughed as they ran together.

* * *

 **Fact for the Chapter: You've probably all guessed who Chase's endgame pairing is by now, which I've had planned from the start. But both Spencer and Teddie's pairings have both changed several times. Originally Spencer was supposed to be the one with an unrequited crush on Z, who had always liked Kayden, who in turn didn't want to act since he knew Spencer's feelings. But then I decided I wanted to give Spencer more of his mum's personality, as he was feeling very much like Xander, so I made him the oblivious one, but not to as much of an extent as Ari. Teddie's pairing has been changed four times altogether, but I'm settled on it now so I'm excited to know what you guys think, when it's eventually revealed!**

 **Extra fact for the Chapter (since I forgot in the last one): On the subject of one-sided pairings, Dax's unrequited crush on Ari was supposed to be a much larger plot point, going so far as to cause problems for the team, and scaring Ari off a little. But I decided against it in the end as I felt it was going to take up too much focus. I also didn't want to cause that kinda drama for Ari and Xander, who are one of my top 3 pairings of all of my fics so far.**

 **Anyways, hopefully the next chapter won't be too long away for you guys!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	8. Let Sleeping Zords Lie

**This was quite a fun chapter to write, I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Let Sleeping Zords Lie

Sweat ran down Teddie's face, and she wiped it away, leaving a streak of dirt across her cheek, and she continued to dig.

"It's way too hot to be out here," she complained, sitting back in the dirt.

"Tell me about it," Tyler agreed.

"I'd rather be out in the sea right now," Olivia commented wistfully.

"I wish you were there too," Chase muttered, and cried out when she showered dirt over him, having heard him.

"Oli, please don't bury my brother, we kinda need him for manual labour and tough shots," Teddie called over idly, not looking up from where her hand was touching the dirt.

"Gee, thanks," Chase spoke dryly at her words, brushing the dirt off his hat. Olivia stuck out her tongue at him, and he did the same in retaliation.

"Those two never stop," Riley sighed.

"Until a little while ago, you could be just as bad," Tyler reminded him with a chuckle, pulling a log out from where it had been wedged. He tossed it aside, and it thudded next to Koda, who glanced at it and blinked.

"Hey, careful with those mate, we're not all as strong as you too," Chase warned, laughing a little.

"Oh, sorry," Tyler grinned apologetically.

"So what dinosaur are we looking for here?" Olivia asked as she continued digging.

"Ankylo," Teddie called over, lifting her hand as a small sprout grew from the dirt. When more dirt showered her, she looked up and saw Chase giving her a warning look. While they'd revealed some of their powers, they weren't quite ready to reveal the rest. After all, that meant revealing who Ari really was, and neither was quite sure they wanted that kind of legacy to give the others bigger expectations of them. Chase then glanced away, and spotted Shelby sitting at the table in the shade.

"Eh? What's she up to?" he wondered. "How about lending a hand?" Chase called over the Shelby. Nerida lifted her head, wagging her tail but not moving from the shade.

"Follow me for a sec," Shelby sighed, making them smile in amusement. "Keeper gave 12 Energems to 12 _different_ Dinosaurs, right?" she reminded them.

"Of course!" Koda jumped up, smiling, before it faded just as quickly. "Wait..I...uh...what?" Tyler giggled at his confusion. Shelby sighed.

"We've found seven Energems, but five are still lost. Those Energems will only be found near the fossils of the Pterodactyl, Ankyolosaurus, Pacosaurus, Plesiosaurus and Titanosaurus. We shouldn't dig here just because we found bones here before," Shelby smiled. "After all, Olivia's came from Ireland, Teddie's from Briarwood, and who knows where Chase's or Koda's came from!" she pointed out.

"Okay then," Tyler nodded. "Where should we dig?" he asked her, smiling at the girl. She hesitated, and sighed.

"I don't know exactly," she admitted, and Koda giggled, making the others grin. She then turned and walked back to the table. "But I have an idea. Check this out!" they all followed her, humouring the Pink Ranger with extensive dinosaur knowledge. "If we combine the known areas where the remaining dinosaurs lived, with the energy signatures from each dinosaur's Energem, then we can pinpoint more accurately where to look," her eyes lit up with the idea.

"But we can't track that signal, Kayden's software only works with active Energems," Teddie reminded her.

"Not if we can change what to search for," Shelby countered.

"Energy...signature...what Shelby say?" Koda asked, not understanding what she was saying.

"She just doesn't like getting dirty," Chase smirked.

"No..." Shelby shot him a glare as Koda nodded in understanding. "What I'm saying _is_ , we need to work smarter, not harder," she told them, and Tyler frowned as he went to take a drink, only to find his cup was empty.

"Yeah, she might be right about that energy signature part, but...we can't be too sure about that software working to track it," Riley considered as he looked at her notes. The others all lifted their cups, finding them empty.

"Hey..." Tyler frowned as Shelby took a seat and gulped down her drink.

"You finished _all_ our drinks?" Chase frowned.

"Not awesome Shelby," Teddie complained.

"What? It's really hot out here!" Shelby defended, not understanding.

"Yeah, we noticed," Tyler sighed.

"Not like we've been working out in the sun while you hide in here," Olivia grumbled. She sighed. "Even Nerida's water is starting to look good," she mumbled. Nerida looked up at her, and as if to put her off, she took a drink of the water in her bowl.

"Sure, rub it in," Chase told the dog, who wagged her tail.

"Shelby drink like camel," Koda told the others.

"Shouldn't we at least test my theory?" she frowned at them. None of them spoke, looking dubious. Teddie scratched her head, letting wisps of her hair fall into her face. While she could see that it was a good plan, without a way to trace the signal of the dormant Energems, it remained just a plan. "Fine then," Shelby huffed. "I don't need anything from you guys anyway," she growled, going to storm off. However, a moment later, she paused, and heard a jingle of keys. The others tried to keep straight faces. "Uh...I need your keys," she mumbled. Tyler tossed them to her as Koda and Teddie dissolved into giggles. Blushing, Shelby snatched her drink and stormed off.

* * *

Tyler groaned, falling into a seat in the shade.

"I know them feels," Teddie agreed, taking a seat too. She grabbed one of the cups, and shook it, hoping it had been refilled when she wasn't looking. Unfortunately, it was not. "She could have at least brought us back something to drink," she grumbled.

"Ah, she was just caught up in her idea," Tyler shrugged, Teddie raised an eyebrow at him, seeing his smile. "She couldn't help it," he defended. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"You're hopeless," she groaned, looking out at the others as they continued to dig. Koda had abandoned the tools and was using his hands for most of the work, while Chase and Olivia were bickering once again. Tyler went red, but chose not to acknowledge her words past that. Riley worked a little farther away, trying to ignore the fighting going on that was growing in volume.

"What's this?" Riley wondered, spotting something sticking out near his feet. He began pulling at it, groaning a little as his Energem started to glow green.

"Riley, watch it!" Teddie called, seeing the crack forming up the wall of dirt Riley was crouched beside. He fell back as a bone came loose, and saw the rocks split and come down. "Riley!" he let out a yell, before he was yanked back and pulled out of harms way. A cloud of dust rose up, making him cough.

"You okay mate?" Chase called as they all ran over.

"I'm fine, thanks for the h..." Riley paused when he saw all his friends hurrying towards him. He spun around, eyes widening as he looked up at a pretty girl with pale blonde hair and even paler blue eyes, wearing shorts and a silver cami.

"You're welcome," she smiled, offering her hand. "Are you harmed?" the stranger asked.

"N-no," Riley stumbled over his words, and took her hand, which was strangely cool in the heat. "Who-"

"Arianna!" the girl smiled and turned to meet Teddie in a hug. "What are you doing here?" she smiled as she let the taller girl go.

"Arianna?" Tyler blinked, approaching her. "It's been forever!" he exclaimed as she smiled.

"Tyler, I heard you'd joined Teddie and Chase," Arianna hugged him. "And you're taller than me now!" she giggled, making him smile bashfully.

"Guys, this is Arianna, she's our friend," Teddie introduced as Chase hugged her next. "Arianna, this is Koda, and that's Riley, whose butt you just saved," Riley blushed at Teddie's words as Koda waved.

"Nice to meet you," the girl with silvery eyes greeted.

"And you know her too, Tyler?" Riley asked.

"Arianna's dad was the Mercury Overdrive Ranger," Tyler nodded, and Arianna smiled proudly.

"And a famous Rescuer in Mercuria thanks to his bravery," she added.

"Mer...curia?" Koda tilted his head, confused.

"Rescuer?" Riley asked. Arianna nodded.

"Rescuers are Intergalactic Emergency Responders, many of our planet Mercuria become Rescuers," she explained. While Koda looked even more confused, Riley's eyes widened in realisation.

"Oh, you're an alien," he said before he realised it.

"Hey, rude," Teddie slapped his arm.

"Sorry...it's just..growing up on a farm in the country..." Riley apologised. Arianna just laughed lightly.

"It's okay, I know Earth is still getting used to extraterrestrial life," she shrugged, resting her hands behind her back. "So what are you all doing out here? Ari said that you were out here...is this the latest fashion?" she asked, glancing to their overalls.

"Oh 'Anna, I missed you," Teddie giggled.

* * *

Kendall was busy studying samples she'd been sent, and Ari was working on her own research, when they heard the secret entrance open, and someone slide down. Shelby landed lightly, letting her Energem fly to the crystal bed, and Ari looked up as the Pink Ranger slung her overalls over her shoulder.

"Hey Shelby, what brings you back here?" Ari smiled at her. Kendall looked up, surprised to see her as well. And, both noted, without any dirt on her whatsoever.

"Is everything okay?" Kendall asked her. "What happened?" she asked as Shelby dropped her overalls at the bench.

"Well, actually, something did happen," Shelby approached her, and Ari leaned back in her seat, wondering. "I came up with an idea on how to find the other Energems," she said confidently. Kendall's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh...really?" Kendall asked, trying not to sound too amused. "I think you underestimate how difficult it is to _find_ an Energem," she told her, lifting her file and walking away. Shelby lowered her head, giving a small laugh.

"And I think _you_ underestimate _me_ ," her words had Kendall stop and look around with a frown. "Ever since I first got here, I've been waiting tables, mopping floors, and being a pretty good Pink Ranger if I do say so myself," Shelby told her confidently. "But I've also got a lot of ideas going on up here," Shelby told her as Kendall didn't answer, surprised by her sudden backbone. Ari was watching, delighted that Shelby was finally standing up for herself. "The only problem is, _no-one_ will listen," she seethed quietly.

"I'd say give her a chance," the two looked at Ari, who was tidying up her notes. "It's better than having them dig up the whole of Amber Beach. And if it gives us an advantage over Sledge..." she shrugged. Kendall frowned at her, knowing she was loving the whole thing. After all, she had stood up for Shelby from the start. She then sighed. She couldn't help but relate to what Shelby was saying. She knew exactly what it was like.

"Okay, Shelby," Kendall put her folders down. "I'm listening," she accepted. The sudden agreement took Shelby by surprise, and she hesitated, her confidence fading with her anger.

"Uh...well..." she took a breath. "We combine known facts about the five remaining dinosaurs. Climate, known breeding ground, food sources, stuff I know!" Shelby pointed out. "With a global scan for energy signatures of each of those dinosaurs Energems!" she exclaimed. "That stuff I thought...you could help me figure out," she shrugged.

"Global scan of energy signatures..." Kendall frowned. "We don't have that kind of software yet, Kayden's software only..." she trailed off as an idea came to mind. "Wait! Yes!" she rushed over to her computer as Ari grinned. She gave Shelby a thumbs up, and the girl could barely contain her excitement. "That would require DNA samples, and the processing power required would limit us to just one dinosaur at a time..." she began typing, before looking around. "Well, are you gonna watch or help?" she asked Shelby.

"I'm getting stiff here doing the boring stuff, so I'll help out too," Ari stood up and approached as Shelby decided on a dinosaur.

"We'll go with the Ankylo first. It bonded with the Aqua Energem," Shelby brought the jar over.

"Very well, Ankylosaurus is it," Kendall smiled, unable to hide how impressed she was.

* * *

The three were just done with their work, when they heard a voice call out.

"Hey guys, we're back," Riley called as he slid down and let his Energem fly off.

"Oh, sweet air con, how I missed you," Teddie sighed, pulling her overalls off. She was streaked with dirt, somehow even under her overalls.

"Welcome home everyone! Find anything?" Shelby asked, smug.

"We found her," Shelby's smile faded as Teddie giggled, pointing to Arianna. The pretty blonde smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Arianna," she introduced herself.

"Uh..."

"Arianna's an old friend," Tyler explained, which didn't make Shelby feel any better. "Our dads were on the same team together, we've known each other forever," he said, not noticing her expression.

"Arianna's from the planet Mercuria," Ari explained to Shelby. Kendall had already met the girl earlier. "And her dad thought that coming to Earth for a while like he did, might help her become a better Rescuer," Arianna nodded.

"Well she's off to a good start, after saving my butt," Riley grinned.

"Well, we had a very successful day," Kendall smiled as Shelby cleared her throat. She then revealed the Aqua Charger in her hand.

"This is the Ankylo Charger," she announced. "It's the brain that runs _our_ new invention, the E-Tracer," she showed off the small machine the three had been working on all day. They gathered around as Shelby inserted the Charger, and the small satellite lifted, starting to search. Kendall activated it, and the air rippled. As she did, Shelby smiled again, her excitement growing.

"This little machine is using satellites to locate the energy signature of the Aqua Energem," Ari explained. "And I think it's locked on to something," she commented as it beeped loudly.

"That's definitely the right energy signature," Kendall nodded. "But it can't say if it's an Energem," she frowned. "It might be a Zord," she suggested.

"If the Aqua Energem isn't bonded, then the Zord will be dormant, so it's worth taking a look," Ari told them.

"It isn't too far away," Riley realised.

"Come on," Shelby walked past. "This time, we're going to dig in the right place," she told them. Teddie giggled.

"Come on Arianna, may as well check it out," she told the girl, who glanced to Ari.

"Sure, but any sign of danger, get out of there. Your dad will kill me if you get hurt," Arianna smiled widely, and nodded.

"Sure," Shelby's smile faded once again as Arianna joined them on their search.

* * *

"I can't believe there's another thing connected to the Energems here," Olivia commented as they walked through the park. The small device in Shelby's hands beeped loudly, and she sped up.

"It should be right up...here..." she trailed off as they all stopped, staring at the ground in front of them.

"Bloody hell," Olivia gaped.

"That's quite the large hole," Arianna commented mildly.

"Looks like someone beat us to it," Tyler frowned.

"Surprise!" they jumped back as a monster leapt out with a group of Vivix. "Poisandra sends her regards!" he laughed, landing. "And now I'll destroy you!" the monster declared.

"Arianna, stay back," Chase told her, and she nodded, backing away as the Rangers fought off the Vivix.

"Enough!" Tyler punched one of the squealing footsoldiers hard and it sailed through the air, just as Chase landed by his feet, floored by a powerful strike from the monster.

"Don't let him get away! He might have the Energem!" Chase reminded them.

"Stop!" the monster cried out as he was kicked hard, and Arianna landed, brandishing a staff.

"Arianna!" Tyler and Teddie ran to help her, while the others fought off the Vivix.

"No sign of an Energem!" Riley called as he did a quick scan.

"Get out of the way girl," Stingrage snapped, lashing out at Arianna after throwing Teddie and Tyler back. She blocked his moves and slammed the staff into his legs, making him howl. "You'll regret that!" he threw a punch, only for it to sail through the air as Arianna suddenly changed forms, turning into a silver liquid. As he stumbled, Tyler punched him back, and Arianna changed back.

"That was awesome," Tyler complimented, making her shrug.

"It's normal," she told him. They continued to fight, but Stingrage was strong, grabbing Tyler and using him to knock Teddie and Arianna away.

"There may not be an Energem, but I left a little something for you anyway!" he laughed, tossing Tyler away.

"My turn!" Koda went to fight, only to be thrown aside as well. Stingrage blasted him with his staff, and Koda cried out in pain.

"What did you do to him?" Tyler asked as Koda screamed.

"Koda, you okay?" Riley asked as they approached him, only for Koda to yell and kick him back.

"Koda!" Teddie dodged his punch, and the caveman roared furiously, attacking them. Stingrage laughed, walking away as Koda easily overwhelmed the Rangers. He tossed Tyler into the air, and Chase blocked his fall.

"What's gotten into him?" Olivia groaned as she pushed herself up.

"His back! Something's stuck on it!" Arianna spotted an odd looking spike sticking out of Koda's back. Chase and Tyler grabbed him, trying to pin him down, but Koda was strong, tossing them off.

"Sorry Koda, I hate to do this to you," Tyler vanished, and Koda snarled, looking around. He sniffed the air, but as he went to grab Tyler, the Red Ranger reappeared and caught his fist, overpowering him with super strength. "It's a stinger, pull it out!" Tyler yelled as he forced Koda down. The caveman thrashed, and Chase and Teddie caught one arm, while Riley and Olivia caught the other. Koda roared again, struggling uselessly as Shelby pulled the stinger free. Koda screamed again, before slumping.

"Uh...guys?" he frowned, breathing heavily.

"You okay now?" Chase asked warily as they let him go.

"Yes...I'm okay...why you hug me?" he asked, confused and dazed. Shelby held up the stinger, which shone with Koda's blood. Before they could question it, the ground suddenly shook, and a massive light blue Zord burst from the ground.

"It's the Ankylo Zord!" Shelby realised.

"Oh, and it does not look happy to see us," Teddie gulped.

"Look out!" they dove aside as the Ankylo spun around and slammed its tail to the ground where they'd been standing.

"That was a close one," Tyler gulped.

"Why would it attack us?" Shelby wondered, confused as it dug back underground, disappearing.

* * *

The Rangers and Arianna regrouped back at base, taking a moment to rest up after the fight.

"The Ankylo Zord is awake...that means the Aqua Energem bonded to someone," Riley considered as Ari tended to Koda's back, examining the wound left behind by the spike.

"You mean..." Shelby frowned. "There's an Aqua _Power Ranger_ out there?" she realised.

"That is correct," Keeper nodded, pacing in front of them as he considered this. "But he may not know we exist...or may have chosen for some reason not to join us yet. What is important now is the Ankylo Zord. It shares the Aqua Energem's power, and would not normally attack us," he spoke, confused. Koda sighed, before growling as he flinched.

"Sorry," Ari apologised gently, trying not to aggravate him too much. While Koda was a gentle giant, there were some things that could cause him to lash out, and pain was one of them. Koda smiled back at her, knowing it wasn't on purpose, before his eyes settled on the spike they'd left in a jar on the desk.

"Maybe...monster sting Zord," he suggested, getting up suddenly. Ari pushed him back down firmly, making him stay still. "Like it sting me!" Koda looked to the others.

"That monster did say about leaving something for us," Arianna nodded.

"That would make sense," Tyler agreed.

"Well if that's it, then we need to remove the stinger," Riley told them.

"Good luck...did you see the size of that thing?" Chase muttered.

"It'll be hard to find something so small, and even harder to get it off the Ankylo," Teddie agreed with him, folding her arms.

"I'll do it!" Shelby stood suddenly.

"No way!" Tyler was on his feet in a second. Teddie glanced to Chase, smiling in amusement. "It's too dangerous," the Red Ranger shook his head.

"That Zord was very powerful, you could be hurt," Arianna spoke. Her eyes were concerned, but that only served to rile Shelby up more. She frowned at the girl, who blinked in surprise as she detected the hostility.

"Someone _has_ to do it. Besides, it's my _stupid_ E-Tracer that somehow screwed up and gave away the Zord's location to Sledge," Shelby shook her head.

"Actually," Kendall spoke up, approaching as Shelby brushed past Tyler. "Your device worked brilliantly," Kendall admitted as they looked at her. She then sighed, pulling off her glasses. "Sledge got the location of the Zord because I didn't encrypt the E-Tracer's code. It's my fault we lost control of the Ankylo Zord. Somehow, I'll find a solution," Kendall vowed, rushing off.

"Ms. Morgan!" Teddie called, but she didn't stop. Shelby glanced to Tyler, who kept his eyes on her, before Shelby rushed off.

"She's stubborn, that one. If she makes a mistake..." Ari shrugged, continuing to clean the blood from Koda's back. Arianna watched the door, before frowning. While nobody was watching, she slipped out as well. Ari glanced up, and sighed. "Man, Ty really is gonna kill me," she grumbled.

* * *

"Shelby, wait up," the Pink Ranger frowned and turned around as Arianna hurried over to her.

"Arianna, go back, it's too dangerous," she hissed, continuing to walk.

"I'm a Rescuer, Shelby, I can't run away just because it's dangerous. I want to help," the Mercurian told her stubbornly, and Shelby groaned.

"Just stay out of the way if anything happens," she told Arianna, who was a little startled at her hostility again, before the two sneaked into the back of the truck before Kendall noticed.

They were just settled in when the engine started, and the truck began to move. Moving to make herself a bit more comfortable, Shelby sighed again.

"Shelby...this wasn't your fault, you know," Arianna spoke quietly.

"It was my idea to search for the Energems this way. If I'd just worked with the others...this wouldn't have happened," Shelby didn't look at her, but was aware of Arianna watching her with her oddly pale eyes.

"Yes, but if you hadn't come up with the idea, you would still be looking in the wrong place and wasting time that Sledge and his monsters could be using to find the real location," she didn't look up, but her eyes widened a little at Arianna's comment, realising she was right. "We all make mistakes Shelby, it's what you to to fix them, that's important," she whispered.

"Yeah...thanks, Arianna," Shelby nodded, and Arianna smiled brightly.

* * *

Pulling up in the park, near the giant hole, Kendall climbed out and looked at it for a moment. Her fists clenched as she felt irritation and guilt at making such a foolish mistake. It had been a long time since she'd done so. In her field, she couldn't afford to make such mistakes.

Sighing, she turned and strode back to the truck, reaching in to grab her things, and cried out in alarm when she pulled back the tarpaulin to find Shelby and Arianna.

"Oh...good grief," she growled, trying to let her heart rate settle before grabbing the rope. "Stowing away again, really?" Kendall frowned at Shelby.

"You've done this before?" Arianna asked. Shelby blushed.

"This is a really bad idea you two," Kendall scolded as she pulled the rope out.

"Yeah, and going after the Ankylo Zord alone is also a really bad idea," Shelby countered as she climbed out.

"I rarely make mistakes, but when I do, I fix them," Kendall told her firmly, lifting the shovels from the truck as well. "No excuses," Kendall walked away, and Shelby glanced to Arianna, who shrugged with a smile.

"Look," Shelby followed her as Arianna climbed out. "We created this problem together. Let's solve it together," she told her boss. Kendall shook her head, tying one end of the rope to a tree, and walked over to the hole. "Ms. Morgan, look, yeah, we made a mistake, but it's what we do to fix it that's important," Shelby told her, and Arianna's smile widened as Kendall frowned. "Don't try and do this alone," she pleaded.

"I simply cannot be responsible for sending you down this hole. Either of you," she glanced to Arianna before she could speak. "It's just too dangerous," Kendall told them firmly. Hearing a laugh, they whirled around. Stingrage was approaching with Poisandra, Curio and a group of Vivix, and the three backed away slowly.

"Maybe you can't, but I can!" Stingrage fired a blast at them.

"Get down!" Arianna shoved the two down, and silvery liquid materialised in her hands that she used as a shield, but the attack was too powerful. She cried out, thrown through the air and into the hole as her Mercurian powers failed.

"Arianna!" Shelby leapt into the hole after her, as Poisandra cheered on the alien. "ENERGISE!" she Morphed into her Pink suit, catching Arianna and landing lightly. "That was close. You okay?" Shelby asked as she set Arianna down.

"Yes, thank you..." Arianna nodded, and sighed. "I'm sorry. I came with you to help, and you ended up helping me," she apologised.

"Don't sweat it. Besides, you protected me and Ms. Morgan to begin with," she pointed out. Arianna brightened a little, and Shelby smiled. "I'm sorry for being kinda mean when you first got here," she apologised, and Arianna's head tilted a little, not understanding. "I saw how close you were with Tyler – and Chase and Teddie!" she added quickly. "And I guess I was a little jealous. I still don't know him- _them_ , that well," Shelby cleared her throat, thankful for her helmet.

"You're a team, Shelby," Arianna smiled. "You'll learn everything when the time comes," she told her, before hearing a low rumble. They looked around with a gasp, and saw bright red lights shining from the darkness.

"The Ankylo Zord..." Shelby breathed.

"Um...hello, Ankylo Zord," Arianna smiled nervously as the Ankylo Zord emerged from the shadows, growling at the intruders.

"You're a vegetarian, remember?" Shelby tried, laughing nervously, before she gasped. "There's the stinger!" she pointed to the spike sticking into the Zord's side. However, before either could try to move, the Zord growled louder this time. "This isn't good," Shelby gulped.

* * *

Above ground, Kendall cried out as she was thrown through the air, dropping the shovel she had been using as a weapon. She hit the ground hard, rolling along. Her hands and face were skinned, and her body hurt from the hard hits that she wasn't accustomed to.

"Sit right there, smartie pants," Stingrage laughed as she pushed herself into a sitting position, her glasses cracked. "One little sting, and it'll all be over," he told her as she stared at him, her heart thumping wildly.

"Destroy her!" Poisandra laughed.

"Gladly!" Stingrage went to blast her, only for the energy to bounce off Chase's shield and slam into them. They cried out, thrown to the ground as Kendall looked up at the Black Ranger.

"Not so fast!" Tyler landed with him as she smiled in relief.

"Ms. Morgan!

"Kendall, okay?" Koda asked as they ran over, and helped her up.

"I'm fine," she told him as he checked her face, concerned. "Thank you, but Shelby and Arianna, they fell in the hole," Kendall warned them.

"They're down there with the Ankylo Zord?" Olivia gasped.

"Shelby!" Tyler ran towards the hole.

"Arianna!" Teddie and Chase followed.

"Can you do an underground scan?" Riley asked.

"Yes, I can do one from the base," Kendall nodded, hurrying off. Stingrage got back to his feet, and grabbed his staff. He saw Tyler, Teddie and Chase run by, and scowled.

"You won't get away from me!" he leapt through the air, landing in their way. "Easy to catch, easy to sting!" Stingrage declared.

"Out of my way you overgrown insect!" Tyler yelled, his worry for Shelby growing.

"Looking for someone you care about?" Stingrage taunted. Tyler's fists clenched as he glared at the monster.

"You asked for it!" the group began fighting, taking out the Vivix.

"I think you'll find me a little tougher to defeat!" Poisandra declared as she knocked Chase's fist away.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" Teddie kicked the pink alien's own fist up so it sailed over her head, and kicked her in the stomach, before the pair landed behind her.

"Can't handle my moves, Rangers?" Poisandra ran at them, only for them to easily move around her attacks. Having put too much force into the attack to stop herself, she shrieked as she fell to the ground.

"You really are full of hot air," Teddie taunted her with a giggle. Looking around as they heard a cry, they saw Tyler hit the ground after taking a hit from Stingrage.

"Tyler!" Koda called as they ran to his side.

"I'm going to knock you flat!" Stingrage fired another blast, and Chase threw up a shield, but the repeated blasts shattered it and the group fell to the ground.

"Defenceless Rangers!" Poisandra mocked. "Sting them all, and they'll destroy each other," she ordered Stingrage, who nodded.

"You're finished Rangers!" he approached them as they struggled to get up.

"We can't let him sting us," Olivia groaned, her arms giving way so she fell again. "We gotta stop him and help Shelby and Arianna," she said as they all tried and failed to move. However, before he could sting them, the ground began to shake violently.

"Something's coming!" Teddie yelled, sensing the movements in the earth. The Ankylo Zord suddenly burst from the ground, with Arianna and Shelby on its head.

"You're done, Stingrage! You've stung your last victim!" Shelby declared. "Dino Morpher Blast!" she leapt through the air, blasting the three and making them cry out. "I hope that stings," she grinned, landing lightly.

"Shelby! You're okay!" Tyler smiled in relief, running over to her. "And Arianna too," he smiled as the other girl jogged over.

"Thanks to Arianna, I got the stinger out of the Ankylo Zord," Shelby told them.

"Really? You're awesome!" Tyler exclaimed, and Shelby blushed at his praise. "Both of you," he nodded to Arianna, who shrugged.

"It was all Shelby, I just pulled the thing out," she admitted, only having been able to do so with Shelby keeping the Aqua Zord distracted.

"Looks like you guys are still working too hard," Shelby couldn't help but tease the group, who laughed.

"Next time, we work smarter," Koda told her with a nod.

"That's right," Shelby laughed.

"I was worried," Tyler admitted.

"Yeah, you should have been," the Pink Ranger retorted, grinning under her helmet. Arianna's smile grew as she watched them. "Looks like it was a close call till I showed up," she teased him. "Now, let's finish this!" Shelby called as she stepped forwards.

"Yeah!" the others called as Arianna moved away.

"Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Oh please!" Stingrage rolled his eyes.

"I'll take down Stingrage!" Shelby told the others confidently, and the fight resumed. Poisandra called on more Vivix, and the others fought them as Shelby dominated against Stingrage.

"Shelby's all fired up," Olivia commented as she blocked an attack and punched the Vivix back. She jumped over it as it flailed on the ground, and flipped another.

"You got that right," Teddie laughed as she back-flipped, kicking another of the white-clad monsters. They looked up, having defeated the footsoldiers, just as Shelby destroyed Stingrage.

"Great job Shelby!" Tyler put a hand on her shoulder, making her blush again. The others cheered her on, and she smiled. The Magna Beam then shot down and reformed Stingrage, allowing him to grow.

"Oh no," Shelby gulped.

"These guys never give up. Time to call in some Zords!" Tyler shouted.

"Dino Charger, ready!" they summoned the T-Rex, Stego and Tricera Zords, and the three attacked Stingrage. The Red T-Rex Zord bit Stingrage, holding onto him as the monster shrieked in pain. As he was unable to move, the others attacked him.

"We need smash him," Koda told the others.

"Great idea! Ankylo Zord can help," Shelby suggested.

"Can we really use it? Without the Aqua Ranger?" Olivia asked, unsure.

"Sure! He owes me a favour," Shelby grinned. "Dino Charge Megazord, Tri-Ankylo formation!" the two Zords combined with the T-Rex Zord, forming the Megazord.

"I can't believe it worked!" Teddie laughed as they all appeared in the cockpit.

"This Megazord combo sounds powerful," Shelby grinned.

"That's what you're going to fight me with? This'll be easy!" Stingrage mocked, not intimidated by the new Zord. He ran at them, and the Rangers met him with a Tricera Drill before striking him with the Ankylo Hammer.

"Ankylo Zord _very_ strong!" Koda smiled.

"We've got this guy on the ropes," Shelby told them confidently.

"Let's wipe this bug out!" Teddie cheered.

"Ankylo Zord! Final..." the Megazord began to spin, slamming Stingrage repeatedly. "Hammer Punch!" the Rangers swung an uppercut, and the Megazord did the same, throwing the monster into the air. He cried out and exploded, destroyed by the powerful moves.

"Welcome to the family, Ankylo Zord," Shelby laughed as the others cheered.

* * *

"So...Kendall fixed the E-Tracer," Riley announced as he sat with the others at the table. "Sledge can't steal our data any more," he told them, and they smiled in relief.

"Once we've found the other Energems-" Chase stopped as Tyler cleared his throat, and they looked up as the newest employee smiled and set their drinks down at the table. They thanked her, and Chase winked at her, making her giggle before walking off. Tyler cleared his throat again as Chase watched her go.

"You're such a creep," Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Jealous," Chase muttered, taking a drink. She almost choked on her own.

"Delusional," she hissed, glaring at him as he scowled back.

"Chase, continue, please," Teddie groaned, putting a hand to her face as Arianna giggled, watching the interaction.

"I've never really seen Chase like this. It's funny," she said, making all but Chase and Olivia grin.

"Once we've found the other Energems," Chase repeated slowly, choosing to ignore the Mercurian's words. "I think I'll head home, go see the grandparents. Maybe go visit New Zealand again," he considered.

"Oh, it would be nice to see Tanner again," Teddie smiled at the idea. Chase nodded his agreement.

"Tanner?" Riley asked, before Shelby sat down.

"Man, is it hot today!" she complained. Immediately they all pulled their drinks closer to them, not quite recovered from their earlier loss. "Very funny," Shelby scowled, blushing.

"Your invention is gonna help our search a lot," Riley told her.

"Yeah it is. It's an awesome idea Shelby," Teddie told her, taking a drink.

"Ah, my grandfather, famous caveman!" Koda grabbed a menu and a crayon. "He invent _very_ complicated machine too," he told them as he drew on the menu.

"Really? Wow," Shelby leaned forwards curiously, and Koda turned the page.

"It's called...wheel," he revealed, and they all started to laugh in disbelief. They looked up to see Kendall approach, carrying a pink box.

"We crushed it Kendall," Shelby held up her fist.

"Yes, we did...crush it," Kendall smiled awkwardly, and Shelby sighed, lowering her fist. Teddie reached over and bumped it for her, and Arianna giggled. "Because of your recent invention, the museum has a gift for you. A fossil from your favourite dinosaur," Shelby's eyes lit up and she grabbed the lid of the box.

"A Triceratops fossil?" she gasped, and lifted a strange rock from the box. "Uh...I don't recognise this bone..." she frowned, looking at it.

"That is poop," Koda clarified, and Olivia choked on her drink as Kendall rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Koda, it's a very rare specimen," she told him sharply.

"Dino _dung_?! _Ew_!" Shelby dropped it in her horror, and the fossil hit the ground, shattering.

"Now...lots of rare specimen," Koda giggled, and the others burst out laughing as Shelby wiped her hands on Koda's arm, and Kendall tried - and failed - not to look too annoyed.

* * *

 **Hopefully I'll be able to update soon, but for now, off to Dublin till Monday!**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	9. Double Ranger, Double Danger

**Feeling lousy from a stomach bug, but finally getting over my writers block/hesitation by yet again reworking a lot of Dino Charge. I need to stop. But anyway, thought I'd update!  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Double Ranger, Double Danger

As the sun shone in the sky above, Riley and Shelby worked on setting up the E-Tracer, the others took it easy and enjoyed the nice weather. Koda sat in a tree, looking over the forest, while Tyler sat at the base of it, writing in his dad's notebook. Chase sat on a rock, picking petals from a daisy, and Teddie was playing her guitar, humming lightly as Arianna and Olivia played fetch with Nerida.

"This Dino Charger has been created to detect energy from the Gold Energem, or the Ptera Zord," Shelby told him as she held out the newest Charger. "Hopefully the E-Tracer will detect one of them," Shelby activated the machine and inserted the Gold Dino Charger.

' _Please hear me out, I need to get this off my chest_

 _And tell you you're the reason why_

 _I'm gonna live believing in all you've shown me_

 _Some may say they're a lie_

 _But no I'll never need proof I,_

 _Don't even care if they're real_ ,' Teddie sang as she played, before stopping to scribble something in her notebook. ' _I've never known that kind of love_

' _Cause no one's shown me how to open up my heart_

 _Without the fear it'd break and fall apart_

 _The more I ask.. The more I fear the truth will hold me back and I'll regret it_

 _But with you that feeling's gone and for you I'll have the strength to soldier on_ ,' she continued, before sighing and scratching something out. Teddie then repeated the last few lines in a different key, and wrote again. As she made notes, Teddie suddenly paused, looking up.

"Teddie?" Arianna and Olivia looked around, hearing the music stop. Koda suddenly leapt from the tree he had been sitting in, and landed beside Tyler, who jerked.

"Koda..." the boy groaned. "I asked you to stop doing that," he complained, but couldn't help but laugh.

"Tyler, you smell," Tyler frowned at Koda's words, and sniffed under his shirt.

"I do?" he asked, not smelling it.

"He doesn't mean that," Teddie was on her feet, setting her guitar down. She nudged her brother, who looked up from his flower-picking. Chase went to speak, before sensing it too and looking around, lifting his blaster.

"The air. Smell," Koda clarified. Tyler got to his feet, and his Dino Comm beeped.

' _Alien Bio-Signs in your area_ ,' Kendall warned him as he answered.

"Hey, shut down the E-Tracer," Tyler told Shelby and Riley, who quickly did what he said. "We need to get out of here now," they began packing up, knowing how dangerous a situation they were in. If their enemies got hold of the

"Careful, that's irreplaceable," Shelby warned when Tyler lifted the E-Tracer.

"Start the jeep, we're right behind you. We'll keep watch while you load up," Riley said. Tyler nodded and hurried off with the machine, vanishing.

"Where are they?" Teddie murmured, her own blaster drawn as she scanned their surroundings, but she couldn't get a lock on anything.

"Since when do they hide? What are they waiting for?" Riley wondered as they looked around.

"Koda?" Chase glanced at the caveman, who was sniffing the air. "Can you smell any getting closer?" he asked, but the Blue Ranger shook his head. He inhaled again.

"No...they..." Koda frowned. "They leave," the others frowned as they looked at him. Teddie and Chase glanced to each other, unable to deny that the caveman may be right.

"Maybe they didn't see us?" Olivia suggested.

"Yeah, or maybe Ms. Morgan picked up Arianna's signature by mistake?" Shelby tried, glancing to Arianna, who was attaching Nerida's leash to her neck.

"That doesn't explain Koda smelling someone bad," Riley pointed out with a shake of his head.

"Come on, Tyler should have the E-Tracer packed away by now," Teddie told the others, and they hurried back to the clearing where Tyler had parked his jeep. As they reached it, however, they slowed to a stop.

"Uh, this _was_ where Tyler parked, right?" Riley frowned, confused. "We didn't go to the wrong place?" he looked around as if expecting to see the jeep in a different place.

"No, this was definitely it," Teddie frowned, approaching the area where she remembered them parking. She crouched, her eyes scanning the ground. "Call Tyler, see where he is," Teddie told the others, seeing multiple sets of footprints in the grass. She wasn't sure if they were theirs from earlier, or if Tyler hadn't been alone when he'd left.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Shelby asked when Tyler answered his Dino-Comm.

' _Shelby_?' Tyler frowned, confused to see her.

"You just took off and left us," Shelby complained.

' _What? I'm looking right..._ ' Tyler glanced away, and turned pale. He looked back at his comm, and away again. ' _At you_...' the communication suddenly cut off.

"Tyler?" Shelby tried again, but there was no answer.

"We better get back to the base, find out where Tyler went," Chase told the others, who nodded.

* * *

"You find Tyler?" Koda asked hopefully as they returned to the museum. Kendall, Keeper and Ari were searching for Tyler on the computer systems as the Rangers let their Energems fly off.

"No, he still isn't responding," Kendall shook her head, worried for the Red Ranger too.

"Even the tracking software hasn't picked him up, he must be out of range," Ari shook her head. "We also have a scan going of the city for alien DNA," she added, glancing to the computer beside her that was scanning the city.

"When I talked to him, Tyler thought he was with us. Whoever he was with, they were fooling him," Shelby spoke up, her own worry evident. Ari folded her arms, deep in thought.

"What is it Ari?" Keeper noticed her actions.

"Another clone story? Maybe, there was alien DNA picked up nearby before it just took off," she commented softly, more to herself than the others.

"Another? This has happened before?" Riley asked, confused. Ari glanced up at him as if remembering they were there.

"Sure. Happens more often than you'd realise," she shrugged.

"It happened with the Overdrive team?" Olivia asked, remembering that she was part of that team. It was still odd to think that the woman had been a Ranger like them. Before Ari could respond, the computer beeped loudly.

"Alien bio-signs detected in the city complex," she reported quickly.

"Then...that's where we go," Koda said to the others, looking anxious. "Yes?" he asked, uncertain when nobody else responded.

"Maybe we should split up," Shelby suggested. "I could go back to the woods and retrace our steps, see if I can find Tyler," the Pink Ranger decided, turning to hurry off.

"Yeah, I'll go with you," Riley nodded.

"No, Kendall, Ari and I will continue to search for Tyler. You must work together to find the E-Tracer, before Sledge can locate the Gold Energem," Keeper told them. Shelby went to protest, but Ari walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll head out there and take a look. I'm a good finder, don't worry," she smiled at the girl, who looked up with worried eyes. "The E-Tracer is important, and like Keeper said, we can't risk it giving Sledge a massive advantage over us," Ari told her.

"You're right," Shelby nodded. "We need to work as a team. Let's get moving," she told the others, and they followed her out. Ari headed out after them, leaving Arianna and Nerida with Kendall and Keeper. As the Rangers hurried into town, she looked in the direction that led to the forest. She leaned forwards a little, as if ready to break into a sprint, and took off, letting her Ninja powers kick in. She streaked towards the forest, where Tyler had last been seen.

* * *

Reaching the trees, Ari slowed to a stop, and looked around. The wind rustled the trees gently, while pushing her hair from her face. She walked towards the area where Tyler's jeep had been before he'd vanished, and crouched.

"Who'd have thought I'd still be doing this even now?" she wondered, starting to walk as she followed the tracks onto the road. "I just hope he hasn't disappeared like Mack, I don't particularly want to face Rose with that kind of information, she'd kill me," Ari mused, before spotting Tyler's jeep in the distance.

Jogging towards it, she sighed, seeing the case that had held the E-Tracer was empty; the lock destroyed. Scanning her surroundings, Ari spotted traces of a fight. "Vivix...a monster, or two..." Ari murmured, trying to figure out what had happened as she crouched by a scorch mark on the ground. "Tyler would have been thrown..." she turned, and spotted a figure lying in the long grass. "Tyler!" she called, jumping the fence and running to his side. "Hey, no time for a nap," she knelt beside him, starting to glow.

"...dad..." Tyler murmured as Ari healed the burns across his stomach. She stopped glowing right before his eyes flew open, and he sat up. "No! The E-Tracer!" he groaned, and Ari caught him as he flinched.

"Easy dude, you took a hard hit," she soothed.

"Ari? What are you doing here?" Tyler asked, looking up at her.

"Came here to find you after you went off the grid," she explained, helping him to his feet. "The others are in town tracking down the E-Tracer, you need to join them," Ari told the Red Ranger.

"Oh? Your little device has been stolen?" they looked around sharply to see Fury approach. "So that's Poisandra's plan, huh..." the feline-like alien growled thoughtfully. "Then I'll need something else impressive for Sledge," he decided, his golden eyes on Tyler.

"Tyler, go join the others," Ari told the boy, pushing him away.

"What? But Fury-"

"I can handle Fury, now go! The others need you, we can't let the E-Tracer fall into their hands," Ari ordered, but Tyler continued to hesitate. "Look Tyler, I can handle myself against Fury, you know that. Go," she told him, softer this time. Tyler clenched his fists, knowing that his team needed him. Finally, he turned, running off as he called on his Dino Cycle and Morphed.

"We meet again," Fury commented, ignoring Tyler as he drew his sword.

"It has been a while. Since I last kicked your butt when you attacked Kendall, right?" Ari smiled pleasantly at him, but her entire body was tense. Fury growled.

"It won't go that way again, witch!" he vowed, rushing her. Ari threw her hands up, clipping him in the face with two well-aimed energy balls. As he stumbled back, Ari's boot collided with his face, shoving Fury to the ground. Ari grabbed the front of her jacket and pulled, yanking her civilian gear off to reveal her Ninja Gear. "Who _are_ you?" Fury snarled as he got to his feet.

"That'd be telling," Ari fell into a fighting stance. She had no intention of drawing the fight out. She only wanted to buy time for Tyler to get away and help his team. Fury roared, rushing her again, but Ari dodged and kicked his side, before landing a punch to his gut. As he doubled over, her elbow slammed into his face, and he stumbled back, dropping his sword.

"You're no ordinary human, and those powers..." Fury growled, a hand to his face as blood ran from his nose. "You're related to those pesky Black and White Rangers!" he realised.

"You mean you didn't figure it out earlier?" Ari tilted her head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, after all, you spent millions of years on this planet, and couldn't even find one Energem!" she taunted, making him snarl in rage. Now she was starting to remind him of Poisandra.

"You'll regret that!" he pulled up his sword and ran at her, swinging down. Ari leapt back to dodge it, and hummed.

"I guess that'll be enough time for Tyler to reach the others," she considered, and shot in close, jabbing her elbow into Fury's stomach. He choked, doubling over and coughing violently. Ari then took a step back again, and gave a pleasant smile as he looked up. Before he could react, she'd snapped her fingers, and was gone.

* * *

The Rangers, minus Tyler, reached town Morphed, looking around for any sign of trouble.

"This is where Kendall said she last detected an alien signal," Shelby commented.

"It's a big area...we need to keep looking," Chase decided.

"Be careful," Koda spoke as they turned in different directions.

"And watch out for anything weird. Remember, Tyler thought he was with us, so watch out," Olivia reminded. They split up, with Teddie going with Chase while Olivia accompanied Koda.

* * *

After a while of searching, the Rangers regrouped.

"See anything?" Teddie called as she ran up.

"Nothing," Shelby sighed. "It's crazy, we've searched everywhere," she complained, a hand on her hip. It was frustrating to think that they were so close, but couldn't get any closer.

"Koda, you see anything from the tree?" Olivia asked.

"Just...very angry squirrel..." Koda shivered, glancing back at the tree. A squirrel sat there, still chittering angrily at him. Teddie giggled.

"Uh...isn't that us?" Riley pointed, and they looked around to see themselves running towards them.

"Whoa, I look pretty sweet," Chase laughed.

"Now is so not the time for your ego," Olivia rolled her eyes. Chase ignored her, instead whispering to Teddie.

"What?" she frowned as Shelby gasped. The Pink Ranger put her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Of course! Clone Rangers! That must be how they fooled Tyler!" she realised.

"Well, uh, I guess...fight ourselves?" Olivia suggested, before Vivix suddenly attacked from behind. They began to fight, with Teddie putting her hands together. Green light glowed between them, and she kicked one of the Vivix into another.

"Take this!" Olivia lashed out, only for a kick to catch her in the back and knock her off course. "Hey!" she turned.

"Sorry!" Koda gulped.

"You might look like us," Chase lifted his blaster and tossed it, spinning it and showing off his moves. "But you're not as smart," he grinned, and blasted each of the Vivix, as well as each of the clone Rangers. They all spun through the air, and landed on the ground.

"Uh...Chase? How did you know who was who?" Shelby asked slowly, gulping.

"And please tell me it wasn't a wild guess," Olivia spoke up, dubious.

"I slipped these into your belts," Chase chuckled, indicating to the daisy by his dino comm. Each of the others looked down to see they had one as well.

"What? When?" Riley frowned, not having seen him.

"And where did you get them?" Olivia frowned.

"I'm just that good," Chase shrugged, making both roll their eyes.

"Now, let's show them what real Rangers can do," Koda spoke up as Teddie giggled, spinning another daisy between her gloved fingers.

"Right! Let's finish these imposters! Dino Steel, armour on!" they called on their weapons as silver armour lined their arm.

"You can fake the look..."

"But..."

"You can't..."

"Fake..."

"These skills..."

"Of real Rangers!" the group finished together as they each struck down their clone. The fakes changed back to Vivix as they fell into each other, and collapsed, turning to dust.

"I guess the whole thing about not fighting ourselves didn't apply to that," Teddie giggled, spinning her swords in her hands.

* * *

Ari walked back into the base, stretching. The adrenaline of her brief fight with Fury was still humming in her veins. It had been a long time since she'd fought such a powerful enemy. If the fight had persisted, she might have actually had to Morph.

"Tyler just got in touch," Kendall glanced around at her, looking a little confused. "He's on his way to the others, but Fury's gotten in his way," Ari folded her arms.

"Damn, I thought I'd slowed that cat down," she complained. "I'm getting soft," Ari scolded herself.

"How did you get back so fast?" Kendall asked her, looking suspicious. "If you were fighting Fury," she pointed out. Ari gave a small shrug.

"How did Fury already catch up to Tyler?" she challenged. Kendall's frown only grew as Arianna looked from one to the other, concerned. Nerida whined, at her side, sensing the unease as well.

"You will have to give some answers eventually, Ari," the young woman told her, giving in and turning away.

"How are the others doing anyway? Was it a clone story?" Ari didn't respond to Kendall's warning, instead walking over and looking at the computer screen.

"Yes. Vivix made to look like the Rangers," Kendall nodded. "They were defeated as easily as any other Vivix," she told the older woman, who smiled.

"Awesome. Now, let's hope they get the E-Tracer back," she commented, folding her arms.

* * *

"All my clones are gone!" Duplicon wailed as he found the Rangers approaching him.

"Yep, nothing left but the originals," Chase told him as they dropped the daisies to the ground.

"Then I'll destroy them!" Duplicon yelled, throwing a blast of orange energy at them.

"Stego-Shield!" Koda blocked the attack, but grunted at the strain as it pushed at him. "Me not...strong enough!" the Caveman realised with a cry.

"Come on Koda, you've got this," Olivia told him confidently. The others nodded, voicing their faith in their friend. He nodded back, smiling slightly through the strain.

"I think...I...break through!" Koda yelled, pushing at the attack. It exploded, leaving the Rangers unharmed, and Duplicon cried out in horror.

"Tricera Drill!"

"Raptor Claw!" Shelby and Riley struck him with their weapons.

"Compo-Blades!"

"Scelido-Spear!" Teddie spun as Olivia jabbed towards, and Duplicon shrieked in pain as their blades raked across his front. The alien staggered back, breathing heavily.

"That's all you've got?!" Dulplicon goaded, despite the smoke rising from his injured torso.

"Try a Para-Chopper Blast!" Chase fired a powerful black shot from his weapon. Duplicon was tossed through the air by the explosion, landing hard on the ground. His yellow armour was scorched, continuing to smoke.

"I need more clone Rangers!" Duplicon grunted from the ground. More Vivix raced in to aid him. "Meet your match!" he pushed himself up and turned to change the Vivix.

"Not so fast!"

"Haven't you heard that you shouldn't turn your back on your enemy?" before he could change the Vivix, he was blasted again by Chase.

"We have to destroy him now, or he'll keep making clones," Shelby warned the others.

"We need the Dino Spike!" Chase told them.

"But it takes _all_ of us," Riley reminded him, gesturing to the team.

"Yeah, and we're kinda still missing someone," Olivia shrugged, worried for their missing leader.

"No time for that!" Duplicon changed his plan and ran at them. Chase grabbed his Dino-Comm as Teddie and Koda ran forwards to meet the alien.

"Tyler, we can't beat this monster without you!" Chase shouted into it when he heard the communication link open. "We've got to use the Dino Spike! Now!" he yelled, and fired another blast at Duplicon.

"We'll just have to hold out until Tyler gets here. Come on guys!" Teddie shouted as she rolled over the alien.

"Right!" Riley nodded, slashing across Duplicon's front. He was then tossed aside by a punch to the stomach, and Olivia landed beside him.

"Tyler, we need you!" Chase tried again, firing another blast.

"We can't take much more of this!" Shelby groaned as she too hit the ground, smarting in pain.

"We've got to, Tyler will make it!" Teddie told them as she pushed herself back up.

"Take this!" Duplicon blasted them off their feet again, and laughed. "So weak without your leader," he taunted them as the smoke cleared. "Let's end this!" he declared, rushing at them.

"Hold on guys!" Tyler raced into view, to their relief.

"Back off, Red!" Duplicon spat.

"You know what to do!" Tyler called to his team as they got to their feet. They looked around at him, grinning. "Dino Charger, ready!" he yelled, activating the Charger. "Weapons combine!" they combined their weapons into the Dino Spike, and launched Tyler into the air to catch it as it flew up. "Dino Spike, Final Strike!" he struck Duplicon with the powerful attack, destroying him. "Copy that!" Tyler called as he landed.

"Tyler!" Shelby smiled, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Great timing," Chase nodded.

"We...worry," Koda admit.

"No-one splits us up," Riley smiled confidently at them. Tyler nodded with a laugh.

"At least, not for long," Teddie giggled.

"We've got to stop Poisandra from tracking down the Gold Energem, or it's Ptera Zord," Tyler told his team, knowing that there was still a problem at hand.

"There!" Olivia pointed up, spotting the pink eyesore up above with Wrench and Curio.

"Stop her!" Tyler yelled. They raced towards the three, who were working out how to use the E-Tracer. However, before they could stop her, green light shot down from the sky and slammed into the ground.

"I can stop giants now!" Duplicon reappeared, much larger than before. "Vivix, rise!" he yelled.

"Look out!" Koda pulled Tyler out of the way of the squealing Vivix that ran to a clear space, merging together to form a massive monster.

"You Rangers want me? You'll have to go through a giant Fury first!" Duplicon laughed as he changed the monster's form to a familiar one, with glowing golden eyes and long fangs.

"Scatter!" Teddie yelled, and the Rangers dove out of the way of the fake Fury's sword right before it stabbed into the ground where they'd been standing. It was then slammed from the side, knocked away by the roaring Red T-Rex Zord.

"Nice entrance Rexy!" Tyler laughed. "Dino Charger, Ready!" he tossed it into the air as Shelby and Koda summoned their own. The Megazord formed, only to be attacked from both sides. The group cried out, thrown about.

"They're attacking from both sides!" Olivia groaned. The communication link beeped, and Kendall showed up on the screen.

' _Activate Dino Charger number 17, it'll release the toxic gases of the dinos_ ,' she told them.

"Did she just say what I think she said?" Shelby giggled.

"Toxic gases?" Riley repeated, unsure.

"You mean...fart gas?" Koda gasped.

' _You could call it that_ ,' Kendall rolled her eyes, and two sets of giggling could be heard in the background.

"Man, you think of everything," Chase laughed.

"How can someone even come up with that?" Olivia giggled. Kendall rolled her eyes again.

"Hey, let's try it," Tyler told his team. "Dino Gas Charger, ready!" they turned, and the green gas burst free from their shoulder, hitting both the Fury replica, and Duplicon. Duplicon wailed as the gas blinded him.

"That's one nasty move," Chase couldn't stop himself laughing.

"Smell...very bad," Koda's heightened senses turned on him and he groaned in horror.

"Let's finish it!" Tyler cheered.

"Please, finish faster," Koda begged.

"We need the hammer of the Ankylo Zord to crush these fakes!" Shelby decided, grabbing the Aqua Charger. "Dino Charger, Ready!" she activated it, summoning the light blue Zord. It leapt into view with a roar, and swapped with Koda's Stego Zord.

"Ankylo Zord, Hammer Punch!" the Rangers slammed the hammer onto the fake Fury, returning it to its normal self. "Tricera Drill!" they finished it off, and turned to Duplicon as he gulped. "Ankylo Zord, ha!" they spun, and the hammer struck the alien, making him cry out. "Final Hammer Punch!" he shrieked as he was tossed into the air, exploding.

"Come on, they've almost got the E-Tracer working!" Shelby realised, and they leapt from their Zords in time to see Fury overpower the three aliens. He laughed, mocking them before grabbing it.

"Fury is leaving with E-Tracer!" Koda gulped.

"We can't let him take it," Riley shook his head, knowing just how powerful their enemy would become with the information.

"Chase, you're the only one capable of hitting it from this distance," Tyler turned to the Black Ranger, whose eyes widened before he nodded. Shelby put her hands to her mouth in her horror.

"But my E-Tracer!" she pleaded as Chase activated his Charger, ready to fire.

"Sorry Shelby," Tyler sighed, putting a hand on her arm as she shook her head. She'd put so much work and determination into the machine. "But if Sledge gets it, he could find all the lost Energems," he pointed out. Shelby didn't argue, knowing he was right. She let her head fall forwards, unable to watch it happen. Chase stepped forwards and aimed, and as Fury laughed, delighted at his victory, the blast slammed into it.

"No!" he roared in horror as the machine exploded, tumbling from his hands and smashing against the ground.

"Good job hotshot!" Tyler nodded his approval to the Black Ranger. However, they frowned when they saw Fury crouch beside it, lifting something.

"The Gold Charger!" Teddie realised, seeing the small cylinder in his clawed hand.

"You didn't destroy it all, Rangers! With this, I will control the Ptera Zord!" Fury declared, holding it up in the light for them to stare at. Before they could stop him, Fury disappeared with a laugh that echoed long after he'd gone.

* * *

"The E-Tracer may have given Fury the location of the Ptera Zord, and he also got the Ptera Charger," Shelby confessed to Kendall as she set the destroyed machine down on the table. Kendall sighed, before managing a small smile.

"Even if he finds the Zord, that Charger shouldn't have enough power left to activate its battle mode," Kendall soothed her. "And they don't have the technology to charge it," she smiled. Shelby looked up, still looking guilty and heartbroken over losing her machine.

"Besides, unless the Gold Energem is bonded to someone, the Ptera will remain dormant," Ari spoke up, examining the machine. Hearing a thud, they looked around to see Tyler pull his fist back from the table, leaving a small dent.

"I should have known those Rangers were fakes," he muttered. He then gave a small chuckle. "There's nobody like you guys," he smiled at them, and they smiled back.

"The E-Tracer was destroyed, but you worked as a team. If you had not, it would now be in Sledge's hands," Keeper pointed out, and the mood lifted slightly. They may have suffered a loss, but it could have gone far worse.

"Keeper's right," Chase nodded. "We're united. Sledge, Fury, Poisandra, they're divided," he commented, looking up at his friends.

"And that's what gives us the advantage to win," Teddie smiled, sitting on the table. "We have teamwork. They're too busy fighting each other to stand a chance against our united front," she high-fived Chase.

"I have something for you," Shelby touched Tyler's arm. She held out her hand, revealing his bracelet.

"You found my dad's bracelet," Tyler's eyes lit up. He'd been devastated when he'd lost it in the fight with Fury. Shelby smiled back, tying it back around his wrist as the others exchanged amused grins, except Koda, who looked baffled. Neither Tyler nor Shelby were very good at hiding their real feelings. "Thanks," Tyler spoke quietly.

"No problem," Shelby smiled back, before blushing as she remembered they had a very attentive audience.

"When I was fighting Fury today, he suddenly froze up, as if he...lost control," Tyler remembered, looking at his bracelet. The others frowned. "I swear, it looked like something inside him was trying to break through," he thought back to the golden light that had burst from Fury's chest right before he could finish Tyler off.

"Maybe it's his fun side trying to get out, eh?" Chase suggested. The others snorted.

"You're so lame," Olivia rolled her eyes.

"You just don't appreciate my humour," Chase bit back. Teddie sighed, putting her head in her hand as she shot Riley an exasperated look. He shrugged back.

"Whatever it is, we take it on together," Koda smiled, holding out his fist. The others grinned, each of them pressing their fists to his.

"Together!" they cheered.

* * *

 **Fact for the Chapter: Before I got hooked on Dino Charge, Teddie was originally going to be the Violet RPM Ranger, with Miko - originally named Asuna - as the Amber RPM Ranger. But then I fell in love with Dino Charge and had to include it in, and from the moment I saw him, Chase reminded me so much of Xander that it all fell into place for me. But originally the story after SPD - and supposed to be the last - was going to be RPM.**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	10. When Logic Fails

**So in my procrastination to finish the story in FF14, I ended up writing about four chapters between yesterday and today.  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 10: When Logic Fails

Shelby sighed heavily as she watched Kendall dismantle the destroyed E-Tracer. It sparked, and black smoke rose from it, carrying along with it a smell of burning that lingered in the air.

"Our beautiful E-Tracer, up in smoke," Shelby sighed, heartbroken over her loss. She'd been so proud of the device that she and Kendall had made to track and locate the Energems and Zords, and it had hurt to see Chase destroy it, even if it was a necessity. "Ari, you fixed my phone after Koda smashed it to pieces...do you think...?"

"Sorry Shelby," Ari looked up from her notes and leaned back in her seat. "A broken phone is a lot different to a completely unique device hit with a blast powered by an Energem," she shrugged, apologetic. She'd used her magic to fix the broken pink phone, but even she couldn't perform miracles. Despite what she claimed sometimes.

Hearing a rumbling sound, they looked at Koda, who put a hand to his stomach.

"Sorry, I...very hungry," Koda smiled bashfully as Arianna giggled.

"Don't worry Koda, I sent Teddie and Chase to get pizza," Kendall smiled in amusement at the caveman. He smiled, delighted.

"So Fury knows where the Ptera Zord is," Shelby got the conversation back on track. "But will he tell Sledge?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Sledge doesn't care about the Zords," Kendall shook her head at the idea. "Unless it leads Fury to the Gold Energem," she pointed out. Shelby nodded slightly, knowing that she was right, but a thought continued to niggle at the back of her mind.

"But Fury betrayed Poisandra, so Sledge can't trust him anymore-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I am so confused," Tyler interrupted the two as they argued at a fast pace. "What's our next step?" he asked as Koda looked equally confused.

"Maybe, we eat!" the Blue Ranger then suggested, looking excited at his idea.

"There isn't much point in discussing this on an empty stomach," Arianna said with a soft smile. "You won't be at your best," she said.

"Arianna right," Koda nodded eagerly as the others grinned in amusement.

"I think I solved it," Riley, who had been quietly muttering to himself as he stood in front of a tall structure he had built. "We need to look at the problem more logically," the Green Ranger turned to the others, his eyes shining at his idea. The others turned their full attention to him, including Ari, who set down her pen. "Sledge, Poisandra and Fury," Riley listed as he held up three different marbles. "Now, each take their own paths, chasing after power, love, maybe revenge," he considered motives as they gathered around. He dropped each marble into a different part of his structure, and they rolled down the tracks. "But there's one thing that all of them need first..." the Raptor Ranger trailed off, hoping they'd get it.

"The Energems!" Shelby realised.

"Exactly!" Riley nodded, grinning at the girl. "But their only change of getting an Energem is with a very powerful weapon-"

"Like the Ptera Zord!" Arianna chipped in as she considered this. Riley nodded again.

"Arianna's right. Different paths, leading to one conclusion," Riley explained as the marbles all reached a joining track and landed in a bowl together.

"So, they've got to power up the Ptera Charger," Tyler determined.

"But there's only two labs on Earth strong enough to energise a Dino Charger," Kendall spoke up, following the same train of thought as the others. "One is SPD, and there's no way they'd be stupid enough to try going there," the others nodded in agreement. SPD had been on high alert since Sledge's ship had decided to linger just outside of Earth's orbit, but had been unable to do anything while he threatened the planet. So, it was up to the Dino Charge Rangers to handle it.

"Then logically, the other lab is where we start," Riley told the others confidently.

* * *

"Do you think the others will be able to get the E-Tracer working again?" Teddie asked as she walked beside her brother, who was carrying several pizzas in his arms as he skated along. Teddie struggled to keep up, frowning at his need to use his skateboard to collect the pizzas.

"I doubt it, I hit the thing at full power," Chase shook his head. "Looks like we're back to searching the old fashioned way," he commented.

"Shelby will be thrilled," Teddie said, making both laugh. When two kids suddenly ran past screaming, Chase stumbled, falling off his board and into his sister. The two let out yells as they fell to the ground, dropping the pizzas. Chase looked to his side and saw pizza scattered along the ground, and scowled.

"Hey! Thanks!" he yelled as he got to his feet, glaring at the two kids as they ran off, still screaming.

"What's with them?" Teddie frowned, and sighed as she saw pizza sauce sticking to her white shirt. "Man, I had to be the _White_ Ranger..." she complained as she got up.

"Scaredy cats!" hearing a mocking voice, the pair looked around to see a green alien who looked like a maze.

"Hey!"

"Stop!" the two rushed to stop Puzzler, blocking his path. Chase landed a kick to Puzzler's front, knocking him back into Teddie's punch.

"Who are you?! Their babysitters?" Puzzler demanded as he stumbled about.

"You owe the Rangers a new lunch," Chase told him as he caught the flagpole Puzzler used as a weapon. Puzzler cried out in alarm.

"You're the Rangers? Oh geez!" Puzzler gulped, backing away from the pair as they stood together.

"What are you doing here?" Chase asked him. Puzzler scoffed.

"If you were as smart as me, you wouldn't have to ask!" Puzzler told them.

"Well that's rude," Teddie arched an eyebrow, and held out her hands. She began to chant in a different language, and Puzzler tilted, confused as her hands started to glow green. The ground began to quake suddenly, and vines burst from the ground. While nowhere near as large as Xander's had been when used against Spellbinder, they wrapped around Puzzler's arms and legs, holding them in place.

"Hey! Let me go! What is this?" Puzzler demanded, struggling furiously.

"If you were as smart as us, you wouldn't have to ask," Teddie taunted him. "Now, what are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Why you..." Puzzler managed to spin the weapon in his hands, and it cut through the vines, releasing his hands then legs. With a yell, he swiped at them, and as they jumped back to dodge his weapon, only to be kicked to the ground. "Now to destroy you!" he declared as they looked up.

"Teddie! Chase!" Puzzler let out a gasp at Shelby's call.

"Yikes! Probably more Rangers!" he bailed as the other Rangers ran to help their fallen friends.

"You okay?" Koda asked, standing defensively in front of them as the others helped Teddie and Chase up.

"Fine," Chase frowned.

"Only our pride is bruised," Teddie nodded, before wincing. "And maybe my butt," she considered.

"Fury must be in there with the Ptera Charger," Shelby realised.

"Let's go pay him a visit," Tyler called, and led them away as Koda hesitated, catching Chase's arm.

"Pizza?" he asked hopefully. Chase gave an apologetic smile, knowing the caveman's appetite.

"Sorry bro," Chase patted his shoulder and followed the others. Koda sighed, his stomach practically growling in hunger, and he hurried after the rest of the Rangers. They made their way through the open doors of the abandoned lab, looking around for Fury or his guard.

"Doesn't look like anyone's been here in years," Shelby commented, and jumped as Olivia sneezed loudly.

"Excuse me," she sniffed as her cheeks warmed at their stares. "Dust allergies," the Forest Ranger explained.

"We have to find the lab, and fast," Tyler looked around. Riley walked past, his gaze thoughtful.

"Let's split up," he suggested, walking off. The rest glanced to Tyler for confirmation. The Red Ranger nodded, and they hurried in different directions. Koda let out another groan at his growling stomach.

* * *

Teddie hummed to herself as she looked around, searching for any sign of a monster. She sang under her breath, before a shiver ran through her. Pulling her jacket tighter around her, Teddie walked up a flight of stairs, and frowned, pausing.

"Wait...something's not right here," she murmured, and walked through the door beside her. Moments later, she found herself at the flight of stairs again. "A loop?" Teddie wondered aloud. She tried turning around and changing direction, but she found herself at the same spot once again. "Weird...must be that maze guy," she pressed her fingertips to the wall, feeling for something. It was muffled, as always when she was in a building away from natural ground, but she could sense power flowing through the building. She bit her lip, worry settling into her stomach. This was bad.

Another shiver ran through her, and she rubbed her arms through her jacket. The temperature was starting to plummet, leaving her shivering before she'd even realised it.

' _Guys, can you hear me_?' her communicator echoed from her pocket, and she grabbed it. ' _Guys_?' Riley called.

' _I'm here_ ,' Tyler responded, his own shivering obvious. ' _But I have...no idea where here is and...it is so cold_ ,' his teeth chattered as he tried to speak.

' _I keep running up the same stairway_ ,' Shelby was out of breath. ' _Trying to...keep warm_ ,' she said.

"Same here," Teddie managed to say as well. "This maze guy...he's enchanted the building to make it...a loop. I'm stuck in the...the same corridor," she said through her own chattering teeth.

' _I'm stuck in the loop too_ ,' her brother responded after her. He didn't sound like he was suffering from the cold as much, but Teddie had a suspicion why that was.

' _I still hungry_!" Koda complained, also not seeming very affected by the cold.

' _I'm stuck too...'_ Olivia piped up next. ' _I can handle this cold for now, but I'm kinda stuck in one room,_ ' she complained.

' _Listen, I've found a way out_ ,' Riley told them. ' _We need to_ -' the communication suddenly cut out, and Teddie winced at the static that rang out instead.

"Riley? Guys? You still there?" Teddie asked, shaking her communicator, but there was no answer. "Dammit..." she shoved it back into her pocket and kept moving, trying to warm herself up.

* * *

Kendall let out a frustrated growl when she was greeted with more static.

"Still no luck?" Ari asked as she approached her.

"Nothing," Kendall shook her head. "I can detect their signals, they're in the building with Fury and that alien, but beyond that, it's like I'm hitting a wall," she complained, switching to another signal to try again. Ari folded her arms, and went to the laptop, bringing up the footage of Chase and Teddie fighting Puzzler. She resisted a sigh when she saw Teddie use her magic, wondering how they'd not been discovered by the other Rangers yet, before focusing on the monster.

"A maze..." she murmured, folding her arms.

"Ari?" Arianna heard her and looked up, worried for her friends. Nerida lay by her feet, worried too. Ari glanced around, and saw both Arianna and Kendall looking at her.

"This guy is a maze. And we know that all of Sledge's guys have powers. What if he's done something to the lab?" she suggested. Kendall frowned, and they could practically see the gears working in her head.

"If he has, it could explain why I can't get a hold of them," she considered, looking back at her computer.

"Just keep trying. The Rangers are resourceful," Ari told her gently, but Kendall could see her own worry. "They'll solve this sooner or later," she insisted. Kendall nodded, turning her attention fully back to contacting the Rangers. Arianna stood and approached Ari silently. The woman turned her head slightly to show she knew the girl was behind her, which made Arianna smile slightly. She'd never known anyone to be able to sneak up on her.

"Ari, are you okay?" she asked softly, concerned for her. Ari gave a small laugh, lowering her head a little.

"I guess I'm finally understanding what my parents went through when I was a Ranger," she admitted, and sighed. Arianna gave a comforting smile.

"They'll be okay, they always are. They're Rangers, and Tyler, Chase and Teddie all have Ranger parents. They can't lose," she insisted. Ari chuckled, turning to her and smiling back. Arianna's smile grew more confident as she looked at the woman who was a little taller than her.

"Thanks, Arianna," she told the girl. "You'll make a great responder one day," Ari said, and Arianna's smile faded a little in her confusion. Ari gave a small laugh again, her own smile growing. "Part of the job is to know how to comfort those worried or scared. And you do a great job with that," Ari told her, remembering what Tyzonn had told her a long time ago.

"Thanks," Arianna blushed.

"Hold on, I've got one!" they looked over to Kendall, and a communication link opened to reveal Riley. "Riley, what is going on? I haven't been able to contact any of the other Rangers!" her relief was mixed with worry for the others, and Ari smiled a little. Despite her distant attitude, Kendall had grown attached to the Rangers.

' _Okay, I found the Ptera Charger, but Fury has it, and it's full of power,'_ Riley warned them quietly. They could hear growls in the background, which could only be Fury.

"You've got to get that Charger," Kendall told him, her voice quivering.

' _But the others are trapped-'_

"Riley," Kendall cut the Green Ranger off firmly. "You may not get another chance! You said it yourself, we've got to do what's logical, and right now, that means stopping Fury," she told him.

"But the others..." Arianna murmured, worried for her friends as well. Riley looked away from the screen for a moment, before cutting off the communication.

"Riley?" Kendall frowned, and growled when she couldn't get another link open. "I've lost him," she shook her head. Ari watched her, and sighed.

"I think telling Riley to go after Fury was a mistake," Kendall looked at her sharply.

"What?" she stared at the woman.

"The Rangers are a team, and no matter what, they'll save each other," Ari told her firmly. Arianna smiled, seeing the stubborn attitude and determination in Ari that her father had told her of.

"But Riley's logic-"

"Can't outweigh his heart," Ari finished. Kendall spluttered, unsure. Ari had never outright disagreed with her before. "Speaking from experience, and trust me, I know exactly what it's like to have your team in danger and having to make a choice to save them or get the bad guy. Rangers will always save their team first, and then they'll face the danger together," she said confidently.

"But what if they lose their chance to stop Fury?" Kendall demanded, her own stubbornness kicking in. She wouldn't back down from her opinion so easily. And Ari admired her for it.

"Then they'll defeat him another time. They won't lose," Ari said.

"That's such childish logic," Kendall argued. Ari shrugged.

"That may be, but the Rangers have never lost before. They may not be successful straight away, and it might seem like the bad guys have the upper hand, but eventually they fall like all the others," Kendall didn't reply to Ari's confident words, not quite sure what to say. Something about Ari had always bothered her. And it seemed to go farther than her simply being an Overdrive Ranger. There was more to her.

"Fine," she huffed, turning back and working to try and get back in touch with the other Rangers. Ari turned to Arianna and shrugged, and the young Mercurian girl smiled back, comforted by Ari's words.

* * *

Teddie shivered, sinking to the ground as she found herself unable to keep moving. Her breath fogged up the air in front of her and the ground had a layer of frost over it, making it slippery to walk on.

"There's got to be...a way out of here," she murmured, holding out her hands. She began to chant in the language of the Mystics, and green light started to shine in her hands, but it faded quickly as the spell faded. "Dammit...it's too cold...for earth magic," Teddie whimpered, tears in her eyes.

* * *

Chase shivered, curled up against the wall as he felt his energy starting to fade. He had been keeping the cold at bay as best he could, but he'd been using his sun magic for too long. Pulling his hoody in tighter to try and keep the heat in, he spoke again, and golden magic surrounded him, melting the frost that had crept in around him.

"Come on..." he tried to work his communicator, but it didn't respond with anything more than static. "Dammit, I can't keep this up for too much longer," he muttered, and another shiver ran down his spine.

Hearing a clatter, Chase looked down beside him, and saw a marble roll away from the vent he was beside. He frowned, lifting it, and looking up at the much larger vent above him. He let out a laugh as he realised what it meant. "Riley, you beauty," he laughed, getting to his feet.

* * *

Olivia had long since stopped pacing the room she was trapped in, feeling the cold herself. While she was from a place where the temperatures were usually a lot lower than Amber Beach, it was nowhere near as cold as the room she was in now. And she was in no way dressed for cold weather.

"Come on, think, there's gotta be a way out," she told herself, curled up on the ground as she willed her body heat to stay in her jacket, to no avail. Olivia's teeth chattered frustratingly loudly, and she moved to the broken window. She'd tried to go through it, only to end up back in the room.

She heard the sound of something rolling along metal, and frowned, looking up just in time to see a marble fall through the vent. "What?" she managed to get up and move to lift the marble. "Oh, the vents!" Olivia realised with a gasp, and laughed, pocketing it and moving to the vent.

* * *

"Hah! I win!" Puzzler declared as he set a red piece down on one of the platforms. Riley glanced back at the board, not having been paying attention. "Now give me your Energem!" he demanded of the Green Ranger. Riley just smirked back at him.

"Oh, I don't think so," Puzzler gasped at his refusal to honour their bet. "Y'see, the game wasn't chess," Riley stood up as Puzzler stared at him.

"Surprise!" the alien let out a shriek as he spun around to see the other Rangers.

"The game was to escape the maze," Riley finished as Teddie brushed frost from her pigtails.

"Inconceivable!" Puzzler wailed.

"Oh, and that reminds me," Riley lifted a green piece, and knocked another red piece off the board. "Checkmate," he declared. Puzzler whirled around to stare at the board.

"What?! But _how_?!" he demanded furiously, unable to believe that he'd been beaten so easily.

"Dino Charger, ready!" Riley stood with his team and lifted the Charger.

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed, and Puzzler let out a furious yell.

"I'm done playing games!" he flipped the strange chess board over, scattering the last of the pieces across the ground. "I'm gonna destroy you!" Puzzler roared, and lifted his flagpole. Vivix rushed up to stand with him, and he laughed. "Check out my game pieces, Rangers!" he declared.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that!" Tyler shouted down to him, as the seven stood together. "Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"It's about to get wild!"

Teddie leapt into the air, spinning and kicking the Vivix around her to the ground. She landed and lifted her sabre, swinging it to cut across more of the footsoldiers with ease.

"You guys are nothing compared to what I've fought before!" she giggled. She then glanced around to see Chase stumble back, and she shot the Vivix running at him. "You alright?" Teddie reached his side, and Chase stretched.

"Might have overdone the magic trying to keep warm back there," he admitted. "I'm fine," her brother told her a bit louder, and blasted the Vivix coming at Teddie. Once they had destroyed the Vivix, they turned just as Koda blasted Puzzler, throwing him across the battleground. "Nice shooting Koda," Chase laughed in approval as they all regrouped.

"Guys...I very hungry..." Koda complained. His stomach growled loudly in confirmation, and Olivia giggled.

"We'll get you food as soon as we beat this guy," she told him. Koda nodded in relief.

"You'll have to do better than that if you're gonna win this game!" Puzzler stood and tossed his broken weapon aside.

"Ty, how about a combo?" Teddie suggested to the Red Ranger.

"Right," Tyler nodded. "Time for this game to be over!" he declared. "Finish him Teddie," he handed her his Charger, and she grinned with excitement under her helmet.

"Awesome!" she laughed. "Dino Charger, ready!" Teddie activated the Charger and slipped it into her blaster. "Energise!" she spun the side, and it began to glow with red and white power. "Dino Morpher Blast!" she fired the powerful attack, and Puzzler screeched as he was destroyed.

"Nice one!" Olivia cheered, before thunder clapped above them. Looking up, their eyes widened as their victory was short lived.

"The Ptera Zord!" Shelby cried as the Golden Zord flew through the air with a screech. "Fury must have control over it!" she realised with horror.

"But we cannot hurt our friend," Koda protested, but Tyler shook his head.

"We don't have a choice. We have to fight it," he told his team, who reluctantly agreed.

"Ty's right. If we leave Fury to control it, it'll destroy everything," Teddie pointed out to the Blue Ranger, whose fists clenched in anger.

"Summon Zords!" the Rangers summoned their Zords to form the Para-Raptor formation of the Megazord. As soon as the Rangers landed in the cockpit, they were blasted by the Ptera Zord.

"I'm at the top of my game!" they looked around just in time to see Puzzler reappear beside them, brought back to life. "Time to make my move!" Puzzler hit them with his flagpole scythe multiple times, before the Ptera Zord blasted them again.

"Who do we fight?" Koda asked as the Rangers barely remained standing. The cockpit sparked dangerously after so many powerful hits.

"Let's deal with this one problem at a time," Tyler decided as he recovered. "Dino Charge Megazord, Final Attack!"

"Para Zord Fireball Finish!" Puzzler shrieked as he was blasted into the air, only to be destroyed by the Ptera Zord, taking them by surprise.

"The Ptera Zord must have thought it was being attacked!" Tyler realised as they watched the Zord release the Charger it held, and flew off.

"It's gone...it must have used the last of it's power to do that," Olivia commented as they watched the Ptera Zord vanish into the distance.

"That's good for us...for now," Chase swallowed.

* * *

"I was so close to getting the Ptera Charger..." Riley admitted to Keeper as he sat in the base. "I wish I could have stopped Fury," he sighed, feeling guilty. He couldn't help but feel it was his fault that Fury now had a dangerous weapon in his claws.

"Going after Fury would have been the logical decision," Keeper nodded.

"But it wouldn't have been the right decision," Riley looked up at Kendall as she spoke. "I learned today that the logical decision isn't always the best one," she glanced to Ari, who winked at her.

"You save your tribe!" Koda spoke as he, Chase and Teddie walked in. "Act with heart," Riley winced as Koda patted his chest a little too roughly. "Always good," Koda smiled.

"I agree," Chase yawned as he sat down at the table. "Especially since I'm in that tribe," he grinned, making the others smile. Koda hugged Riley tightly, and the Green Ranger let out a choke.

"Easy Koda, remember, caveman strength," Teddie reminded him as she coaxed Koda off their friend.

"Anybody hungry?" Koda immediately let go of Riley as Tyler, Shelby and Olivia walked in with pizzas.

"Finally food!" Koda smiled brightly, following them over. Teddie followed as well as Tyler spoke quietly to Riley.

"What about Chase?" Olivia asked as they all inhaled their pizza. Teddie grinned, glancing to her brother, who was fast asleep at the table and snoring loudly.

"Uh, I'll have his share," Teddie decided as Ari shook her head in amusement.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed it, I'll update by the weekend!**

 **Please review!**


	11. Royal Rangers

Chapter 11: Royal Rangers

Ari checked her phone, replying to a message, before sliding it into her pocket again as she walked with Arianna, Teddie and Chase into the museum. Teddie and Chase were bickering lightly, and Arianna was listening intently, amused by their banter.

"I'm just saying, you might actually beat me-"

"I beat you the last time, or did I hit you so hard you lost your memory?"

"You used magic, that was cheating."

"You used magic first!" Teddie threw her hands into the air.

"Now now guys, chill," Ari spoke lightly, unable to hide her own smile at their competitive nature towards each other. It had been that way since they had started their training. "The Zandar collection should be arriving shortly, go wait for it," she told them.

"Yes mum," the two chorused, and walked off to the back of the museum. Arianna followed the two, waving to Ari with a smile.

"I hope Kendall actually went home last night," Ari murmured to herself, heading to the lift that would take her down to the base. She arrived at the same time as Koda and Tyler, but as she went to greet them, they all heard a loud snore. "I guess she didn't," Ari sighed, glancing over to the computer to find Kendall fast asleep, snoring loudly.

"Kendall sleeping?" Koda asked, and the three approached her.

"Uh, Kendall?" Tyler tapped her shoulder, startling the woman awake. She sat up straight, almost falling off her seat as a piece of paper stuck to her face.

"It's Ms. Morgan," she corrected in a sleepy voice as Ari pulled the paper from her face. She pulled off her glasses, looking a little dazed.

"Did you work all night?" Koda asked, concerned. Kendall yawned loudly, shaking her head and slipping her glasses back on.

"Destroying monsters is one thing, but with Fury in charge of the Ptera Zord, you need a stronger battle mode for your Megazord," she told them as she got up and walked away. Ari shook her head, well used to finding Kendall asleep in her lab. The young woman had a habit of overworking herself. "Which is why I developed these," she produced two Chargers from her machine, and held them out. "Ari and I worked on them the last few days, and I finished them last night when she went home. They activate Dino Drive Mode," Kendall explained, and Tyler took one from her.

"Awesome!" he grinned with excitement as Kendall handed the other over to Koda. "Fury won't know what hit him!" the Red Ranger declared.

"Let's hope so," Kendall managed a small laugh.

"In theory, they should double your power in the Megazord," Ari explained for Kendall as she yawned. "But it is _only_ for the Megazord," she warned as Tyler's eyes lit up.

"Dino Drive Mode," Koda repeated slowly. He then grinned. "That great Kendall," he slapped her shoulder, and Ari caught the tired scientist before she could fall over. Koda didn't even notice, always forgetting his strength. When Kendall's communicator went off, she lifted it and opened the link.

' _The treasures from Zandar just arrived_ ,' Teddie announced with a smile, and moved to show off the massive crates.

"We're on our way up to help unload," Tyler told her, and Teddie ended the link.

"Not me," Kendall sighed. "Shelby needs me for something 'urgent' in the cafe," she rolled her eyes.

"Must be _very_ important," Koda smiled, and Kendall managed a small amused smile as Koda, Tyler and Ari laughed.

"Come on, I'll give you guys a hand," Ari told them.

* * *

"I've always wanted to go to Zandar," Riley spoke wistfully as he carried a crate from the back of the truck and handed it down to Chase.

"You and me both mate," Chase grinned at him. "It's supposed to be a beautiful place. Second in beauty only to their ladies," Riley rolled his eyes with a smile at the Black Ranger's wink.

"Do you ever focus on anything else?" Olivia sighed as she walked past him.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Chase looked affronted as he set down the crate with the others. "Like skateboarding. And other pretty ladies," he grinned, making Tyler laugh.

"Shocking," Olivia grumbled, walking past him, only to slip on a discarded burger wrapper and cry out in alarm as she fell backwards. When she didn't feel the ground collide with her back, the Forest Ranger became aware of the the arms that had caught her, and looked up sharply at Chase as he stared back with an equal amount of alarm. Teddie elbowed Tyler with pure excitement, and the Red Ranger turned his head to hide his laughter. Olivia quickly straightened, and Chase let his arms drop quickly, clearing his throat.

"Be more careful, eh?" he muttered, not looking at her, and Olivia scowled, feeling a blush creeping up her neck.

"Koda," she bent down and lifted the wrapper. "Watch where you leave these," the Irish girl told Koda as he looked around.

"Oh, sorry Olivia," he apologised. Olivia smiled at him softly, unable to be mad at the sweet caveman, and walked off to bin the rubbish. As she did, Teddie couldn't contain her giggles, and Chase shot her a dark glare.

"What's so funny?" Ari asked as she walked back out with Shelby, who looked irritated.

"Nothing," Chase snapped, making her arch her eyebrow. Ari looked to Teddie who had escalated to full blown laughter, and sighed.

"Hey, what's this?" Arianna asked as she moved a box to reveal a massive painting of a man.

"Wow, this exhibit has the Stone of Zandar?" Riley gasped with excitement.

"What's that?" Shelby asked as they all gathered around.

"Well, if you believe the legend, it all started when the knight," Riley gestured to the man in the painting, holding a sword. "Sir Ivan, found the stone," he explained.

"Knights are awesome," Olivia commented, having returned as well. "And he looks just the part," Teddie nodded in agreement. He definitely fit the same style the the Knights she knew did.

"So, what happened?" Koda asked eagerly.

"Well, _supposedly_ , hundreds of years ago, the young Prince of Zandar was being escorted by Sir Ivan. While they travelled, the Prince had Sir Ivan fetch him some water-"

"Urgh, _seriously_?" Shelby scoffed, interrupting Riley's storytelling. "Just because he's a Prince, he can't say please?" the others shot Shelby weird looks as Riley frowned.

"Uh...that's not the point of the story," Shelby blushed as the others sniggered. "Anyway, while they were stopped to get some water, the Knight noticed something shimmering in the creek," Riley continued. "He reached out, only to find-"

"Shh," Koda suddenly hushed Riley, putting a hand to his mouth.

"That didn't sound good," Teddie murmured.

"What didn't?" Shelby asked, not having heard anything.

"Sound like...big eagle," Koda frowned. Ari sighed.

"Well, we know one large thing that makes sounds like that," she scratched her head. The screeching echoed again, louder this time, making them jolt. "Go, we'll keep an eye on this stuff," Ari told the team, who nodded and raced off.

* * *

Another screech echoed through the air, and the Rangers stopped as they saw what it was.

"That's no eagle..."

"It's the Ptera Zord," Riley spoke gravely, looking up at the Dino Zord that had been turned against them.

"We need some firepower," Chase spoke up, walking forwards with Koda.

"Dino Charger, ready!" the pair called. "Summon Stego Zord!"

"Summon Para Zord!" the two summoned their Zords, who roared as they arrived onto the scene. "Watch out Koda, your Zord!" Chase called as the Ptera Zord started attacking the Stego. His own Zord moved in and fired multiple blasts from its tail, fending off the rogue Zord.

"Thanks," Koda smiled.

"Not so fast, he's coming back!" Chase spotted the Ptera Zord coming back in.

"Summon Compo Zord!" Teddie's much smaller Zord bounced across the roofs of the buildings and slammed into the Ptera Zord, knocking it off course and away from the two on the ground.

"Thanks Teddie," the pair nodded at her, but she didn't look at them.

"I don't think we've won just yet," her voice was quiet, and they looked back up to see the Ptera Zord recover, and change forms. The Rangers inhaled sharply as the Ptera Zord landed on top of a building, and Fury's laughter echoed from it.

"Recognise this?" he taunted them. "I have my own Megazord now Rangers!" Fury declared, laughing again.

"It changed?!"

"That's the Ptera Charge Megazord," Riley swallowed.

"Of all the Zords for Fury to get his claws into, it had to be this one?" Olivia demanded.

"Kendall and Ari said that the Ptera Zord was one of the most powerful ones," Shelby told them nervously.

"I didn't wanna hear that," Chase told her.

"Deal with this, Rangers!" Fury roared, flinging out the arm of the Megazord. Purple lightning slammed down into buildings, damaging them and causing the entire city to shake.

"Dino Charger, ready! Summon T-Rex Zord!" Tyler summoned his T-Rex Zord, and it landed in the battlefield with a loud roar. "Rexy, team up! Dino Charge Megazord, Para-Stego formation!" he called. The three Zords combined, and Teddie's own Zord changed forms into a long sabre for them. The Rangers landed in the cockpit Morphed, and Tyler let out a growl. "I don't like battling our own Zords," he muttered.

"You and me both," Teddie mumbled.

' _Tyler,_ ' Kendall spoke as she opened a link with him. ' _We weren't expecting Fury to control a Megazord. It's dangerous, but you have to try your new Dino Drive mode_ ,' the scientist told him, worried.

"Understood, we're willing to take the risk," Tyler replied, glancing to his team. They nodded, all ready to do what it took to defeat Fury.

"Dino Chargers ready! Dino Drive Activate!" they called on the new power, and armour covered their shoulders and chests, making them smile a little as even more power filled them.

"I can feel the charge of strength!" Shelby laughed.

"Awesome!" Tyler cheered.

"Kendall, you very smart," Koda told her, and an embarrassed laugh escaped her as she blushed lightly at the praise.

' _I just hope it gives you the edge you need_ ,' Kendall shrugged.

"Oh yeah! Let's go!" the Rangers blasted the Ptera Zord, but it took to the air and blasted them back, causing them to cry out and stumble backwards.

"Pathetic Rangers!" Fury mocked as he landed behind them. There was another clap of thunder. "Ptera Sabre Slash!" he lashed out, only for them to block with the Stego Zord's shield.

"Stego Punch!" the fight continued as the Rangers fought back.

"Para Zord blast!" Chase fired their weapon, but the Ptera Zord's cape blocked it easily.

"Ptera Sabre Slash!" Fury leapt at them again, and the Rangers managed to block it with Teddie's Zord, but were shoved back and struck by a kick.

"He's so strong!" Tyler cried out as they barely managed to remain standing.

"I told you I'd get your Energems someday," Fury growled as he landed opposite them, and purple light began to gather in the chest piece of his Megazord. "Today is that day!" he declared.

"Our defences are down," Shelby gulped, on her knees.

"If we take another hit, we're done for," Olivia warned.

"Koda, throw your shield!" Tyler called to the Blue Ranger, who threw out his arms.

"Stego Shield, block!" they threw out the shield and blocked the lightning bolt, but it pushed back against them as they struggled to keep it up. "Cannot hold for much longer," Koda warned as they were slowly pushed back.

' _Guys, keep it up, Fury's running low on power_!' they looked down at Ari's words.

"That's our only hope! We need you now hotshot!" Tyler shouted to Chase. The Black Ranger nodded, calling out to his Para Zord to fire a blast of energy that destroyed the attack and struck the Megazord. Fury roared out furiously as he was shoved back.

"I'll recharge, then I'll return to finish you!" Fury declared, and the Ptera Zord returned to it's normal form and flew off.

"Good job guys," Tyler told his team with a nod. "But that cat has more lives. He'll be back," he warned them.

* * *

Despite being worn from their battle, the Rangers returned to the museum and continued to set up the Zandar exhibit. Koda let out a cry as the front of the helmet he put on slid down over his face, blocking most of his vision.

"Our Dino Chargers last so long, why would Fury have run out of power?" Tyler wondered as he looked down at one of his own Chargers.

"Could be that weird light thing you guys saw isn't able to give as much power to it," Teddie suggested as she looked at a book about the Stone of Zandar.

"But even a small amount of power in the Ptera Charger can still do a lot of damage," Kendall reminded them as she went over the inventory to make sure it was all there.

"Reassuring," Olivia muttered.

"Look at this tiara," they glanced to Shelby as she studied the tiara in her hands. "It's worth a small fortune, do you know how many people that could feed?!" she demanded. "But some selfish princess keeps it in a box," the Pink Ranger rolled her eyes and put it on. "Just in case she wants to wear it to the Grand Ball," she mocked. "What a waste," she returned it to its box as the others laughed.

"Hey, Ted," Chase called his sister over to the painting of Sir Ivan. "He remind you of Gramps?" he asked with a grin. Teddie walked over, and giggled.

"He does! Wow," she put her hands to her face.

"That's probably because he's Daggeron's ancestor," Ari told them as she passed. The two gave small laughs, before pausing.

"Wait, what?!" the pair demanded in unison, spinning around as Ari grinned, setting down a ceremonial sword.

"Yeah, he told me about Sir Ivan a long time ago, how he was one of the bravest knights he'd ever heard of," Ari told them as they stared at her. "He's the reason he wanted to become a Knight. Well, him and Leánbow," she added.

"Why is nothing normal about our family?" Chase complained under his breath. Teddie patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"What are you talking about?" Riley asked, confused. "Who's Daggeron?" the name sounded funny to him.

"My dad," Ari told him briefly. "But all this is neither here nor there. Any of you realise one key thing about the Ptera Zord?" she turned to the team as Arianna helped finally get the helmet off Koda's head.

"What?" Kendall frowned.

"That much like the Ankylo Zord, it's awake," they all froze in shock.

"Of course, how could it be?" Shelby breathed, running a hand through her hair. "That means the Gold Energem is bonded to someone as well," she realised.

"And just like with the Aqua Energem, they've kept themselves hidden," Olivia commented as she set the helmet back in the box. Koda glared at it, rubbing his head. "But we need to get that Ptera Charger back from Fury before he can really cause trouble with it," she sighed.

"I'll call Kayden in the morning and have them keep an eye out for a Gold Ranger too," Ari told them as they gathered around the larger crate.

"Careful of the Stone of Zandar," Shelby said as they lifted the crate. With groans, they lifted the heavy crate, only for it to begin to glow brightly.

"What in the world?" Tyler breathed as they set down the box. Their Energems began to glow under their shirts, and they pulled them free.

"Our Energems? What going on?" Koda asked nervously as the lights faded.

"No idea, but it looks like it's stopped," Tyler frowned.

"Are they reacting to the Stone of Zandar?" Olivia asked curiously. They moved closer to the box, only for the lid to explode off, and they dove to the ground to avoid the broken wood.

"Everyone alright?" Ari called as she approached the box. The golden light was shining even brighter now.

"Yeah..." the Rangers nodded, getting back up. Ari peered inside, and gave a small laugh.

"Oh, now this is just crazy," she muttered, and the others looked in nervously.

"The Stone of Zandar is..."

"The Gold Energem," Riley finished as it continued to shine brightly.

* * *

"This is amazing," Kendall smiled as she lifted the Gold Energem from her machine. "It's authentic," she announced.

"Another Energem found," Ari commented as Kendall handed it to her, and she held it up in the light. It shimmered brightly, making her smile softly as she looked at the Energem that possessed her colour. "The Gold Energem is connected to the Spirit of the Pterodactyl, right, Keeper?" she asked the guardian as he approached.

"Correct. It has been a long time," the reptilian creature smiled at the Energem.

"But how did it end up in the Treasures of Zandar?" Chase asked, confused.

"Zandar is in Europe. Lots of pterodactyl fossils have been found there," Shelby explained to him.

"Dino-it-all," Tyler coughed loudly, earning a glare from the Pink Ranger, but it faded as he smiled innocently back at her.

"If Fury were to get a hold of this, he would have unlimited power over the Ptera Zord," Kendall warned them all.

"Then, we hide it?" Koda suggested.

"Or, we could tell Fury exactly where it is," Tyler grinned suddenly, moving to stand beside Shelby. Everyone looked at him, confused.

* * *

"Baiting the big cat in with a fake news story, it's good," Ari nodded her approval as they watched the news report about the Prince and Princess of Zandar with the Stone of Zandar.

"But what if someone in Zandar sees it?" Olivia asked, worried.

"They shouldn't, I've limited the broadcasting," Kendall told them confidently. "So it shouldn't make it very far at all, just enough to lure Fury in," she smiled.

"Good job Kendall, let's just hope Poisandra catches it," Riley commented.

"I heard her say to Curio that she never misses an episode," Chase smirked proudly, turning off the TV.

"Great job guys," Ari patted Chase on the shoulder as she walked past and lifted the Gold Energem. She couldn't deny the pull it had on her, and she had a suspicion as to why that was. "I wonder just who this bonded to, and how it ended up on display instead," she commented.

"Yeah, it's strange. All of you held onto your Energems when you got them," Arianna agreed, looking at it curiously as the golden light reflected in her pale eyes. Kendall glanced around, and frowned a little as she saw how the Energem shone in Ari's hand, before the woman set it down. They then looked around as they heard a bang and a yelp from Teddie.

"This is the _worst_!" Shelby's yell echoed from Koda's cave. Kendall couldn't hide her laugh as the others smirked in amusement.

"And now for Phase Two of the plan," Riley commented as Shelby stumbled out of the cave, wearing a pink frilly dress and stumbling along on high heels. Her hair had been pinned up, with netting around it and most of her face.

"Wow," Chase stared at her as Teddie and Arianna emerged after her, looking exhausted.

"You look like cotton candy," Koda told her, finding it hilarious.

"I can barely breathe. And my feet feel like they're being chomped on by alligators!" Shelby shouted at them, furious that she had to dress this way.

"I think you look pretty," Arianna told her, and Shelby shot her a glare.

"No way! I refuse to pretend to be a whiny, spoiled Princess!" she declared, pulling the silver heels off.

"Well it sounds like you don't have to pretend," Chase smirked at her, and Shelby threw a shoe at his head.

"You deserved that," Olivia told him as he caught it before it collided with his face. He pulled a face at her.

"But Shelby...you have to," Koda told her.

"Yeah, how else are we going to lure Fury in close enough to get the Ptera Charger back?" Riley pointed out.

"Teddie or Olivia could do it!" Shelby gestured to the other two girls on the team. The three had drawn straws to decide, not including Kendall or Arianna in case things got too dangerous.

"You pulled the short straw Shelby," Olivia shrugged, unapologetic. She grinned at her. "Sorry, you're just gonna have to suck it up," she told her. Shelby groaned, not happy at all.

"Okay, I'll do it," Teddie smiled, taking the shoe from Chase and reaching out for the other. "Being a Princess sounds fun anyway," she shrugged.

"Thank you," Shelby muttered, relieved, before the elevator door slid open and Tyler walked in. Hands behind his back and walking tall, Tyler fit the royal attitude perfectly, wearing a red coat with a blue sash. His hair was slicked back, and he wore a fake moustache.

"Whoa," Teddie stared at him, and Shelby couldn't stop her mouth falling open as Tyler tossed Koda the hat under his arm.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Tyler laughed as he abandoned the stiff form and jogged up to them.

"Tyler, you look..."

"Perfect," Arianna walked up to him and smiled. "You really look like a prince," she told him. Tyler laughed, blushing a little.

"Thanks," he smiled back at her.

"Maybe I should play the Princess," Teddie looked at Shelby in surprise when the Pink Ranger snatched back the shoes and walked over to Tyler. "Just so we can get the Ptera Charger back," she said quickly when she saw their expressions. Tyler blushed hard when he took in her dress and makeup, and looked away sharply.

"Jealous Princess, huh?" Olivia whispered to Teddie, who giggled.

"They're so obvious, it's funny," she whispered back.

"Shelby, not all Princesses are spoiled brats you know," Shelby looked up at Ari as she spoke. "With their power, some Princesses are able to do good deeds too," she told the surprised Pink Ranger.

"R-right," Shelby nodded.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting the Prince, and Princess, of Zandar," Chase grinned, and Tyler offered Shelby his arm. She blushed furiously as she took it, and the others applauded the two.

* * *

A crowd was gathering at the Dino Museum the next morning to see the Prince and Princess arrive with the Stone of Zandar.

' _Anything_?' Riley spoke up, dressed as a security guard outside the front of the museum.

' _All clear_ ,' Chase reported, disguised as a tourist.

' _No Fury_ ,' Koda answered from his usual spot in the tree beside the museum.

"Nothing here too," Teddie answered from the roof of the museum, binoculars in hand.

' _Probably biding his time_ ,' Ari spoke up. Where she was, Teddie hadn't a clue. Her mum was too good a Ninja for her to have any clue until it was too late.

' _Limo's here_ ,' Olivia reported as the car drove into view, and the paparazzi gathered around quickly to snap pictures. Everyone applauded as Kendall, disguised as the driver, got out and walked around to open the door. Tyler stood up, waving grandly at them. Everyone applauded and cheered as he helped Shelby out, and the two walked towards the museum.

"Oh, Shelby is loving getting this close to Tyler," Teddie giggled to Arianna, who sat next to her.

"It's so sweet," Arianna said, before someone in the crowd called out for a kiss. Shelby reacted impulsively and kissed Tyler on the cheek, making the boy stumble and look around to stare at Shelby with wide eyes. The two girls on the roof giggled and cooed at the sight of Tyler losing his composure over the act, and struggle to keep up his act. Suddenly Shelby veered off course, moving into the crowd.

' _What is she doing?_ ' Riley hissed.

' _Don't know_ ,' Chase shook his head.

"She's talking to a guy who's been drawing the whole thing," Teddie told them as they watched both Shelby and Tyler take sketches from the boy, who was immediately surrounded by paparazzi. They returned to walking up towards the podium, and Shelby looked around. She then pushed Tyler up to the podium suddenly, clearly panicking.

' _Where's Fury? He should have shown by now_ ,' Olivia muttered, before Fury suddenly burst through the picture behind the two.

"Surprise!" he roared, lashing out. "Give me the Energem!" he swung his sword at Shelby, and Tyler pulled her back just before it could cut through her, however, it clipped her necklace, and the Gold Energem hit the ground.

"With the Zord, and now this Energem, the Rangers are finished!" Fury declared as Tyler held Shelby in his arms. He blasted the ground in front of him, knocking them back. "Summon Ptera Zord!" he called as the crowd fled, screaming. The Ptera Zord flew into view, screeching loudly. "Finally, endless Gold Energem power!" Fury leapt up into the Zord.

"Did he take it?" Riley asked as they all managed to regroup.

"Yeah," Tyler confirmed, and his communicator beeped.

' _The program will activate in 3...2...1...now_ ,' Kendall counted down, and there was a large explosion above. They looked up to see Fury tossed from the Ptera Zord, and it flew off.

"He fell for the fake!" Teddie cheered.

' _Fury's down, his co-ordinates have been sent to your links_ ,' Ari told them as she pulled a twig from her hair. ' _Get that Charger back_ ,' she grinned.

"We're on it," Tyler nodded. "Come on guys," he called to his team, leading them away.

* * *

Fury let out an enraged roar as he was helped to his feet by two monsters. He was still smoking from the blast, and looked up to see the Rangers arrive, all in their assorted outfits.

"Looking for this?" Fury taunted them, holding up the Ptera Charger. "Your little charade nearly paid off, but now you'll pay the price," he vowed.

"Trust me, I'm already paying it," Shelby complained. "These heels are killing me, we gotta morph! Dino Charger!" she held out her Charger, only to hear both Chase and Tyler cry out in pain as they pulled their fake facial hair off.

"We did look good, eh?" Chase grinned.

"You look like an eejit," Olivia muttered.

"Guys," Teddie grumbled as the two glared at each other.

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" they Morphed, and Tyler stepped forward.

"Rangers, ready?" he called.

"Dino Steel! Armour on!" they called on their weapons, falling into their stances. "Dinosaur might, ready to fight!" they chanted. Vivix raced into view, and they ran to meet them.

"Come on, at least give me a challenge!" Teddie complained as she swung her Compo-Blades at the Vivix around her. They went down, rushing at her too quickly to dodge her strikes.

"Scelido-Spear!" Olivia spun through the air and slammed down taking out each of the Vivix before turning and stabbing at another. She hauled it into the air, and tossed it out of the way.

"Oli, let's go!" Teddie called to her as Chase handed his Para-Chopper to Tyler, letting him fight Fury. The two joined Riley and Shelby, and their combined powers easily destroyed the monster. Hearing Fury let out an agonised roar, they looked around to see Fury writhing in pain as golden light poured from him. Tyler stumbled back, demorphing as he stared at it.

"Do it Tyler!" Koda yelled to him. "Destroy him!" he shouted, but Tyler didn't take his eyes off the golden light.

"Tyler? What are you waiting for?" Olivia frowned.

"What _is_ that thing?" Teddie asked as Fury fought furiously with the light as it started to take on a form. "It looks like...a person?" she wondered.

"You will _not escape me_!" Fury screamed, and the light was drawn back inside him as a pulse burst out and floored everyone. "Nice try, Red Ranger," he taunted as he recovered from the attack. "Get me to the ship," he ordered the monsters that arrived to help. They rushed off as the Rangers managed to get to their feet, and Tyler watched as they flew off.

* * *

"Hey Ty," Tyler looked up from his picture as Ari approached him. "The others said you hesitated out there," she took a seat opposite him. "What happened?" she asked him softly.

"I..."

"It's okay," Riley approached him as the other Rangers walked into the base. "I wouldn't have destroyed Fury either. Not today," he put his hand on the leader's shoulder.

"Me either," Koda agreed.

"You made the right choice mate," Chase told him gently. Teddie nodded.

"Yeah, none of us believe any differently," she said to Tyler, who was staring at the picture again.

"They're right," Olivia agreed with them.

"It was the only choice Tyler," Shelby told him as she walked over and reached out to touch his arm. "Until you know for sure," she said softly.

"What are you talking about?" Ari asked them, confused.

"We saw that light thing coming out of Fury, the one Tyler and Riley saw before," Teddie started. "It...it looked like a person," she admitted. Ari frowned.

"I think 10 years ago...he captured my dad and...he's trying to escape," Tyler looked up and met Ari's gaze. The woman's green eyes grew wide in shock. "That's why I didn't destroy Fury," he told her.

"I see," Ari folded her arms. "Then in that case, you did the right thing," he blinked in surprise at her words. Ari smiled. "You followed your heart Ty, nobody would blame you for that. If it's Mack, or someone else, Fury has someone captive. Before Fury can be destroyed, we'll need to free them," she told them, and Tyler looked down at his picture again, not speaking as the others exchanged looks. They still had a tough battle ahead of them.

* * *

 **This was a fun chapter to write, but one of my favourites is coming up next!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Fact for the chapter: Minos was another late change to the story. Originally he was called Ursus, with a Bear Spirit who was to be defeated by Ari when she unlocked her Legendary Golden Warrior powers in Jungle Fury. Then when I started writing, I decided I wanted to keep him around, so I then planned for him to join in Spirit of Kindness. But then I felt the bear thing was too similar to Grizzaka, so I changed him to have a Bull, which was based off the person I chose for his image, and he ended up becoming one of my favourites.**

 **Please review!**


	12. Break Out

**This has probably been my favourite to write so far. I hope you like it!  
**

* * *

Chapter 12: Break Out

The audience applauded politely as Kendall stepped up onto the podium to speak as the Treasures of Zandar exhibit was well under way.

"The Stone of Zandar was discovered 800 years ago," she started as the audience quietened. She looked at the Gold Energem in the case to her left side, shining in the sun. "When a young Prince was being escorted by the King's Knight, Sir Ivan of Zandar. While they were stopped for a drink, Sir Ivan discovered the gemstone in the creek," she repeated the story that all of the Rangers had learned, mostly after they'd discovered that the legendary stone was in fact an Energem. "The young prince demanded for him to hand it over, before they were attacked by a cloaked figure. The monster's blow knocked the stone from the knight's hand, and the Prince tumbled away. What happened next, nobody knows. After saving the Prince, Sir Ivan and the monster mysteriously disappeared. The Prince found the gemstone, and named it after his country. The Stone of Zandar. It has been the most famous piece in Zandar's royal treasure, ever since. Thank you all very much, please enjoy the exhibit," Kendall smiled as she finished, and everyone applauded.

"Urgh, the sooner this exhibit is over, the better," Teddie muttered.

"I hear that," Chase agreed. "I don't like the Gold Energem being out in the open like this when Fury's after it," he muttered. He glanced over to where Ari was leaning against the wall, her eyes on the Gold Energem.

"Ari, what is going on with you?" she glanced to Kendall as the woman approached, having been speaking with the museum sponsors. "You've been glued to that thing since we found it," she accused. Ari sighed, knowing that she hadn't been subtle in the slightest.

"I can't help myself. It's connecting with my theory, but I can't tell you just yet," she told the young woman, who frowned.

"Ari-"

"Collect the treasures," they looked around at the order that echoed around the room. A man in a suit with sunglasses walked over to the treasures of Zandar, followed by several others, while the one who had spoken the order stood looking around with disdain.

"Excuse me," Kendall walked over to him. "I'm the museum director, just what do you think you're doing?" she demanded as he looked down at her.

"I'm taking what belongs to me," he told her simply.

"Hey, whoa, no, that's impossible, because these belong to-"

"Riley..." Teddie caught his arm, shaking her head quickly. Riley frowned at her, and looked back up at the young man who wasn't much older than them.

"Oh..." he deflated immediately, realising just who the man was.

"Oh this isn't good," Ari groaned, putting a hand to her face. "This explains those missed calls from Rose," she realised.

"Starting to get the picture, are we?" the man sneered. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Philip the Third of Zandar. The _real_ Prince, unlike the imposters that have been masquerading around here," he pulled a magazine from his blazer.

"How did that get out? Oh, I'm going to kill Mr. Hartford, he was supposed to bury this," Ari complained under her breath. The Prince's gaze flitted to the others in the small group, and narrowed suspiciously.

"Wait a moment, this is you two, isn't it?" Philip accused. Tyler struggled to find the right words, and Chase glanced away as Shelby looked to him. "It's a wonder anyone mistook you for a Prince," Philip told Tyler.

"Hey now, you-"

"Don't, Teddie," Chase pulled his sister back as she went to snap at the Prince. "Don't make things even worse," he muttered to her. Teddie didn't respond, glaring at the young man who met her gaze evenly. Philip scoffed, and turned, only to walk into Arianna. Instinctively, he reached out and caught her before she fell.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Arianna smiled at him as he looked down at the young woman whose eyes were even paler than his. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Uh, 'Anna, I wouldn't," Chase hissed to her. Philip arched an eyebrow, stepping around her without a word, and walking up to the stage.

"A knight's bravery is what makes this Stone a legend," Philip said as he lifted the Energem. "How dare you touch it. None of you are worthy!" he snapped at them, storming off. As his guards followed, the Rangers groaned. They followed, trying to think of something to stop him from leaving with the Energem, only to see him drive off.

"We can't just let them take the Energem, can we?" Shelby demanded.

"We had a fake ready to replace it when the exhibition was over, but..." Ari shrugged, before glancing around. "Trouble guys," she warned.

"Vivix," Koda inhaled as they saw the footsoldiers watch the limo leave.

"This isn't good," Tyler swallowed.

"If Fury gets that Energem, we're finished," Olivia swallowed.

"They're in danger..." Arianna murmured, worried.

* * *

Philip let out a cry as Fury slammed him against the side of the car, growling menacingly at the Prince.

"Give me the Energem," Fury snarled at him as Philip coughed violently, winded from the blow.

"Energem?" he coughed, baffled by the creature's demands. "I don't know-"

"Don't play stupid with me! Hand it over!" Fury roared, powering up his sword and pointing it at him. Philip rooted in his pockets quickly, and his hand closed over the surprisingly warm gemstone in his pocket. He pulled out the Stone of Zandar, staring at it. "Yes-"

"No!" Philip looked up as Arianna tackled Fury aside. "Please, you can't give him that!" Arianna told Philip as she stood between him and Fury.

"You're the girl from the museum," Philip frowned, confused.

"Out of my way!" Fury roared as he recovered and ran at Arianna.

"Watch out!" Philip shouted, but Arianna didn't react to him. She held out her hands, moving them, and Fury's sword collided with the mercury shield she formed between them. Arianna bit back a cry as the power behind the blow pushed her backwards.

"Hang on Arianna!" Tyler yelled as the other Rangers ran into view. A blow from Chase's blaster threw Fury backwards, and Arianna stumbled.

"Nothing's going to stop me from getting that Energem!" Fury roared as he got back to his feet.

"I'll stop you," Arianna vowed, and Fury scoffed.

"You? You're no Ranger, girl, all you have is your pathetic Mercurian powers! All your kind are _weak_!" he mocked her as Arianna stood in a fighting stance between him and Philip. Fury's sword began to glow, and Arianna called on her powers again, creating an even bigger shield to block the attack. It exploded, and threw both Arianna and Philip threw the air. "You are not escaping me this time," Fury declared as the two groaned.

"Arianna!" Teddie leapt in the air, throwing several balls of energy that hit Fury in the face. "Go!" the White Ranger shouted.

"Right!" Arianna got to her feet and helped Philip up. "We need to go now," she pulled him along by the hand as he limped, glancing back to the fight.

* * *

The two made it through the forest, before finally stopping, and Arianna allowed Philip a chance to rest.

"How's your head?" Arianna asked softly as she crouched beside him, pushing his hair away from a cut. Blood trickled from it, and when she met his gaze, he seemed to be completely focused.

"I'm at a loss for words. After how I treated you and your friends...the insults," Philip glanced away from her. "Why would you risk your life for me?" he asked as she turned his head back to him to continue examining the cut.

"Because it's what I do. I'm a trainee Responder," Arianna smiled at him as she drew back, happy that it wasn't anything serious.

"A what?" he frowned at her. Arianna laughed a little.

"An Intergalactic Emergency Responder. We're kind of like this planet's emergency services, we help people in danger," she explained.

"Intergalactic..." Philip looked entirely baffled. "So you're not..."

"Human? No. I'm from the planet Mercuria," Arianna explained with a smile.

"I see," he murmured. That explained the odd silver liquid-like shield she'd formed. "For you to even consider helping me like that...I imagine you're quite good at your job," Philip muttered. Arianna laughed, shaking her head.

"I'm just a trainee. But of course I'd help you. Everyone has goodness inside them. Even a mean Prince like you," she smiled. Philip blinked rapidly at her.

"I suppose I deserved that," he commented, making her laugh.

"I'm kidding," Arianna giggled. "I know there's goodness in you. The way you look at the Gold Energem, it's important to you. That's why you were so mad back there, the idea of strangers messing with such an important piece of your history," she accused him with an innocent smile.

"You're an odd one...Arianna, was it?" Philip asked.

"Yeah. And I get that a lot, I wonder if I should be a little more careful," Arianna considered, looking worried.

"I suppose you're right. I let my temper get the best of me. I've been told it's a bad habit," Philip admitted. Arianna smiled again, and he found himself smiling back at her.

Hearing a loud noise nearby, she stood up, and Philip followed her through the trees, wondering just what was going on now. The ground began to rumble, and Arianna looked around quickly.

"Look out!" she shoved Philip out of the way, and let out a scream as she was hit by the rock hurtling towards them. She hit a tree, sinking to the ground.

"Arianna!" Philip shouted to her, but she didn't respond. Seeing the Gold Energem on the ground where he'd dropped it, Philip reached out to grab it, only for a figure to stand over him.

"Surprise!" he looked up with wide eyes at Fury. "Finally, after 800 years! The Gold Energem is _mine_!" he declared with a laugh.

"800 years?" Philip repeated in disbelief. "So you're the monster that attacked Prince Colin 800 years ago?" he realised.

"Yes. That Prince survived...but you'll be destroyed!" Fury declared, raising his sword, but before he could deliver a finishing blow, he was blasted by multiple shots fired by the Rangers. "This Energem is coming with me!" Fury yelled at them, running off.

"Arianna!" Teddie ran to the fallen girl's side.

"Don't worry, we got you," Koda and Riley helped Philip back to his feet.

"He got the Energem..." Arianna mumbled as she looked up at the pair. "I'm sorry, I couldn't-"

"It's not your fault 'Anna," Chase smiled at her. Arianna couldn't help but look away, guilty.

"Can you stand?" Teddie asked her.

"I think so," she nodded, and they helped her to her feet.

"Fury got the Gold Energem," Tyler reported to Kendall.

' _And he just summoned the Ptera Zord. If he installs the Gold Energem, he will have infinite energy_ ,' she warned him.

"We stop Fury," Koda told them firmly.

' _Tyler, I've been developing a new Dino Charger that might finally give you and your Zord the edge you need against the Ptera Zord_ ,' Kendall said to the Red Ranger, who nodded.

"I'm on it," he ended the communication, and looked up at the others. "You guys follow Fury, I'll catch up with you," he took off running as they nodded.

"Arianna, you and the Prince, go back to the road, it'll be safe there," Chase told her, and she nodded.

"But-" Philip started, but they turned and ran off before he could stop them.

"Come on, we should go," Arianna told him, but he shook his head.

"Not yet," he followed the Rangers, and Arianna hesitated, panicking.

"No, you can't follow them!" she insisted, but he didn't listen. With a groan, she hurried after him.

* * *

Fury held up the Gold Energem to the light, showing it off to Poisandra, Wrench and Curio, who had been going through the rest of the treasures stolen.

"It's about time, furball!" Poisandra leapt up, excited. "Let's get it to Sledge, so I can start planning my wedding!" she cheered loudly. Their victory was short lived as they heard footsteps, and looked around to see the Rangers.

"Cancel the invitations," Shelby called. At the top of the cliffs, Philip and Arianna watched from out of sight.

"It's Morphin' time!" Teddie shouted. "Dino Charger, ready!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"They're Power Rangers," Philip breathed as he saw the six Morph. Arianna groaned. Their secret was out.

"The tide has turned Rangers," Fury declared. "Prepare to suffer my wrath! Ptera Zord!" using the Ptera Charger, he summoned the golden Zord, and the Rangers were forced to dive out of the way of its attacks. Fury cackled with delight. "Shocking isn't it? You can't outrun the Ptera Zord forever!" Fury taunted them.

"Wait, look!" Koda spotted the fire as it narrowly missed the Ptera Zord.

"What's that?" Fury gasped.

"It's Tyler and the T-Rex Zord," Olivia smiled, seeing the large Zord race into view with Tyler standing on its head.

"Hey guys!" Tyler leapt down from his Zord. "Great job Rexy!" he cheered as the Ptera Zord flew off.

"But the Ptera Zord is gonna come back," Shelby warned.

"Don't worry. Kendall's new Dino Charger should solve that," Tyler smiled at her. "Dino Charger, ready!" he activated the new Charger, and the T-Rex Zord's neck elongated, allowing him to bite down on the Ptera Zord's neck.

"Whoa!" Teddie laughed, clapping her hands together.

"That new Dino Charger makes Rexy even stronger," Chase grinned.

"No! They've taken out my Ptera Zord!" Fury roared furiously.

"Did you really think you could beat us, Fury?" Tyler grinned as the Ptera Zord was floored, unable to move. "With courage and might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"Wipe them out!" Fury ordered.

"Dino Steel, Armour On!" the Rangers called on their weapons, and Teddie spun in a circle as Curio ran at her. He let out a wail as the blades slashing across his chest.

"Oli, catch!" Teddie tossed her blades to the Forest Ranger, who caught them and combined them with her spear and continued fighting the blue monsters. "Catch me if you can," Teddie then giggled to Curio.

"What?" he gasped as she performed several strange hand gestures. Teddie threw her hands down towards the ground, and a cloud of smoke kicked up around her. "Where'd she go?" the monster cried out in alarm as the smoke faded to reveal Teddie had vanished. He spun in circles, looking for her, only for the ground to sink under him and make him squeal in alarm. Teddie then burst out behind him.

"Boo!" she punched hard, and Curio was ripped back out of the ground and tossed over to land beside Poisandra. Before long, all that remained was Fury fighting with Tyler, and they looked around to see the Gold Energem shine brightly. The gold light surfaced from his chest with it suddenly, making him shriek.

"No! Not now!" Fury screamed, unable to fight it. "You will not escape!" Fury roared as the figure completely emerged from him, pulling away. The light connecting them suddenly snapped, and a massive explosion sent the Rangers flying, demorphing as Fury was tossed aside too.

"Dad?" Tyler scrambled to his feet and sprinted to the side of the figure as the golden light faded. "Dad!" Tyler rolled him over, only for his eyes to widen as he stared down at a man who was not his father."What?" Tyler stumbled back as the young man pulled away from him, looking around in alarm. "You're not my dad..." Tyler breathed as the others got up and approached. "Who are you?" Tyler asked as the stranger got to his feet.

"Wait...he looks like..." Teddie frowned.

"I am Sir Ivan, Knight of Zandar," he declared.

"The Knight of Zandar?" Chase repeated in disbelief. Arianna put her hands to her mouth, hearing him from the top of the cliff as the young man's voice echoed.

"Sir Ivan? That's impossible..." Philip breathed. Ivan didn't wait for them to get over their shock, as he turned to Fury as the cat pushed himself up with a growl.

"Finally, tis my turn to Morph," Ivan murmured as he approached Fury. He held up his hand to reveal the Gold Energem, which shone brighter than before.

"That Energem's mine!" Fury roared. Ivan tossed it into the air.

"Gold Ptera Morpher!" a large device that looked fossilised appeared on his wrist, and the Gold Energem landed inside it. The rock cover broke away, revealing his Morpher. "UNLEASH THE POWER!" he Morphed into a Golden suit. "Still think the Stone is yours?" Ivan challenged him.

"He's the one who bonded to the Gold Energem?" Olivia gasped as they watched Ivan easily take out each of the Vivix that surrounded him. He laughed as he took them out, flying through the air.

"He can fly?!" Chase demanded.

"He's so cool," Teddie laughed as he summoned his Ptera Sabre and defeated Poisandra, Curio and Wrench. Finally, he took out the blue monster, destroying it with a powerful lightning blast. Before he could turn to the others, the magna beam shot down, and brought the monster back.

"Your problems just got a lot bigger!" he laughed.

"We'll call our Megazord," Tyler said.

"No. This quest is mine," Ivan told them, holding up an arm to stop them.

"Wait, stop!" Riley ran over to him quickly. "The Ptera Charge Megazord is evil," he warned the man, who glanced at him.

"Not for long," Ivan told him confidently as the Ptera Zord flew into view. He leapt up into it, and changed it to its Megazord form. "Your evil spell is broken!" he declared as he pulled the cape from the shoulders of the Megazord.

"He _is_ the rightful partner to the Ptera Zord," Teddie commented as they watched him easily fight off two monsters at once. "It makes sense he could stop the Zord from attacking us," she smiled.

"Yeah..." Riley nodded. Above, Ivan easily destroyed the two, and Fury slunk off with a growl, followed by the others.

* * *

Back on the ground, Ivan let his suit fade as he watched the others run over to him.

"Sir Ivan, hi, I'm Shelby," the Pink Ranger greeted him awkwardly. "Welcome to our uh...century," he arched an eyebrow at her.

"You will like it here. I show you...burger," Koda told him brightly. Ivan nodded slowly, before his eyes settled on Teddie.

"My lady...what is your name?" he asked her. Teddie blinked, looking at the others before back to Ivan.

"Uh...it's Teddie," she told him, as he took her hand.

"...Teddie..." Ivan looked a little baffled by her name. "You look remarkably like my daughter Juliet," he commented. Teddie gave a small laugh, glancing to her brother as he grinned.

"Yeah, there's kind of a reason for that," she admitted. Before he could press it, they looked around at more people approaching, and Ivan straightened up a little more.

"Arianna, I thought you two were going back to the road," Chase frowned at her, and she shrugged. Ivan suddenly knelt in front of Philip as he approached.

"Sire, I am at your service," Ivan told him, holding out the Gold Energem. "This belongs to the royal family," he announced. Philip took it slowly, frowning.

"Do you know me?" he asked, confused.

"I know the royal blood of Zandar when I see it," Ivan smiled. "I have spent my entire life faithfully protecting your family," he told the Prince.

"So you truly are...Sir Ivan, the Knight of Zandar," Philip breathed, and Ivan lowered his head to confirm this. Philip gestured for him to rise. "And the monster did not destroy you?" he questioned. Ivan shook his head.

"No, he captured me," Ivan explained. "For 800 long years. Only when aided by the power of that stone, could I escape," he told Philip.

"It isn't just a stone," they looked at the others, who all produced their own from around their necks. "It's an Energem," Shelby told them.

"Millions of years ago, the 12 Energems were lost. We've only found 7 so far," Chase told the two.

"The Stone of Zandar is the 8th," Tyler smiled.

"But they're dangerous. They hold more power than anything else on Earth, and Fury and the others, they'll stop at nothing to get them," Teddie spoke up. Philip looked at the Energem in his hand, before holding it out to Ivan.

"The Energem is...yours," Ivan's eyes widened. "To use as you will," Philip told him. Ivan took the Energem, and stared at it as it shone brightly in his hand again.

"Trust that I will use it to make the kingdom proud," Ivan smiled at him. Philip nodded, before they heard a car pull up nearby.

"Ah," Philip turned to Arianna, and smiled at her. "I am humbled by your bravery and courage. And your kind words," she smiled back at him and nodded as he walked off. "May you discover the remaining Energems safely," Philip turned and smiled to the team, before walking off.

"Oh, now that was interesting," Arianna blinked as Teddie wrapped her arms around her. "He's cute, huh?" she teased her quietly. Arianna blushed at her words.

"What? I-I have no idea what people on Earth find cute-"

"Leave her alone Teddie," Chase rolled his eyes, pulling his sister off the girl. Arianna shot him a grateful look as Teddie grinned.

"Welcome to the...team..." Shelby hesitated as Ivan walked off.

"Where are you going?" Riley asked as Ivan glanced back at them.

"Where? I have been captive for 800 years!" Ivan laughed. "It matters not what path I take. So long as it is a path that I have chosen," the new Gold Ranger declared. The Rangers smiled as he walked off, and Chase stopped Shelby as she went to follow him.

"Give him some space," he told her.

"He's enjoying something he hasn't felt in a long, long time," Riley nodded, and Koda put his arms around Shelby and him.

"Freedom," he murmured as they watched Ivan take in the sights.

* * *

 **I love this episode, Philip is one of my favourites!  
**

 **Please review!**


	13. Knight After Knights

Chapter 13: Knight After Knights

Leaning back in her seat, Ari resisted a heavy sigh. It was one thing to be related to the famous Knight of Zandar, who had vanished 800 years ago when defending the Prince from an attack. But for him to suddenly resurface, after being a captive of Fury for that entire time, and for him to be bonded to the Gold Energem, was something else entirely.

"At least it really does seem like Gold runs in the family," she murmured to herself, glancing over as Riley and Kendall showed Ivan how the Dino Chargers would work with his Sabre.

"Really?" Olivia muttered as her phone started to buzz in her pocket. "Go away," she muttered, and Nerida whined, edging closer to her. The blonde smiled at her and patted the dog on the head.

"My lady," Ari looked up as Ivan approached her curiously, and she smiled.

"Ari is fine," she told him, sitting up properly.

"Ari..." Ivan nodded slowly, as baffled by her name as Teddie's. "Teddie is your kin, yes?" he asked.

"Yeah, Teddie and Chase are my kids," Ari confirmed.

"Then you are..."

"My dad told me that we're descended from you, so you're my many great-grandfather," Ari laughed, still unused to it.

"And you hail from the Orava Kingdom?" he asked her in a quieter voice. Ari paused, glancing around to where the others were all talking amongst themselves. She shook her head.

"No, my dad moved to train as a knight when he was young. Inspired by you," she told him, and Ivan brightened at the thought. "I grew up in this world, however," Ari explained.

"You did? Fascinating. I only moved once I was old enough, and became a Knight of Zandar. Why did you?" he asked curiously. Ari didn't quite meet his gaze.

"A long story. I-"

"Ivan, Riley and Chase will show you another feature of your Energem," Kendall called over as Riley and Chase approached.

"Yes, of course," Ivan nodded. As they walked off, Ari sighed, shaking her head.

"Teddie, please, stop!" Arianna pleaded as she tried to run away from the girl. Nerida barked, running over as she thought they were playing. Teddie laughed, letting the dog jump up at her.

"Oh come on 'Anna, I'm just asking you if you think the Prince is cute," she looked up at the Mercurian girl, who was going red again.

"Teddie, leave her alone," Ari called over. Arianna rushed over, ducking behind her as Teddie sighed.

"Boring," she hummed, petting Nerida.

"Well, t'was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon, perhaps we shall see each other again soon," he bowed, and turned to leave.

"Wait, whoa, where are you going?" Riley called. "You're part of our team now," he frowned as they all stood together.

"I have not joined your team..." Ivan frowned. "I'm a Knight of Zandar. When I pledge my loyalty, it is for life. I'm sorry, I cannot make a decision so hastily," he told them, and with a nod, he walked off.

"Wait, decision? He doesn't have a choice! He's the Gold Ranger!" Shelby turned to her team, annoyed.

"Why does that mean he's not allowed a choice?" they glanced to Ari, who was playing with Nerida now. "After all, you were given a choice when you first became a Ranger. All of you were," she glanced up at them with an innocent look, and Shelby paused.

" _Evil hands? You mean like that thing we fought in the woods?" Shelby stared at her. "You expect me to fight monsters?" she demanded. "Really? I just want to dig for dinosaur bones, not bond to one," she complained. When an alarm suddenly blared, the group looked around quickly._

" _What's going on?" Tyler asked as a computer system in the centre of the room brought up an image._

" _I'm seeing more seismic activity," Kendall frowned as she stood in front of it. "Same place as earlier," she told them._

" _We better take a look then," Chase told them._

" _I'm Tyler, and I'm all in," the new Red Ranger grinned._

" _Good," Kendall smiled at him._

" _This all seems crazy but..." Riley looked down at the Energem in his hand. "I'm in too," he decided, and they all smiled._

" _Great," Chase nodded._

" _We go now," Koda told them. They all went to leave, before realising Shelby hadn't moved._

" _Shelby?" Tyler watched her._

" _Hey," Ari put a hand on her shoulder, seeing her fear. "I told you. You fought bravely to save the Pink Energem before, that's why it bonded to you. Now the world needs you, but you're not alone. There are five others here who will be fighting by your side. And when we find the other 6, you'll be unstoppable," she smiled confidently._

" _It's her decision Ari," Kendall frowned. "She's right to be hesitant. Clearly this mission is just too dangerous for a waitress," she said, and Shelby scowled. "Go without her," she instructed. Ari smirked again. While Kendall clearly didn't believe in her, Shelby was stubborn, and wouldn't take such words lying down._

" _Wait!" Shelby called as they went to leave. "Sure, I'm a little scared. Who wouldn't be? But I know more about dinosaurs than any of you. Fact is, you need me. And I want to help," she glared at Kendall._

"She's right," Kendall nodded. "We can't force him to join us," she said, before the alarm suddenly started to blare. "Alien bio-signs at the boat docks," Kendall warned.

"We'll have to worry about Ivan later. Let's go," he told the team.

* * *

Flipping onto the scene, the Rangers landed on the docks and blocked the path of Poisandra, Curio and their latest monster.

"Right on cue," Poisandra scoffed. "Time to take their bravery!" she declared.

"Don't get your heart set on it!" Tyler called over. Poisandra let out a low growl of irritation.

"Vivix, attack!" she ordered. The chittering monsters raced at the Rangers, and the Rangers split up to defeat him.

"I'm not a big water person, but you guys look like you're wanting to go for a swim!" Teddie grabbed one of the Vivix and tossed it into the water with a loud splash. "Next?" she grinned, dodging a punch and kicking her attacker to the ground. Leaping up onto the railings, Teddie balanced easily as she used her blaster to hit any that got close to her.

Once the Vivix were gone, they joined Tyler in fighting Bones, who easily threw the Red Ranger to the ground. One by one, each of the Rangers went down, overpowered by the skeletal alien.

"Skeletons are so in right now," Poisandra giggled as they helped Koda up.

"Time to remove some backbones!" he declared, only to be struck by the Ptera Sabre as it flew through the air.

"It's Ivan!" Tyler called as the Gold Ranger leapt onto the scene. He blasted Bones repeatedly, making him cry out in pain as Poisandra squealed.

"Hey, I'm the hotshot," Chase complained.

"Not anymore," Olivia laughed. "He's awesome," she said, and Chase's eyes narrowed. Ivan kicked Bones hard, and with several powerful slashes of his sabre, he sent the three running.

"You better watch your backs!" Poisandra warned.

"Good riddance," Ivan nodded, before leaping away.

"Ivan's got to join us," Shelby said stubbornly, getting to her feet. "I'm gonna go talk to him," she decided, running off.

* * *

"Sir Ivan is a little too big for his boots," Chase commented as the rest of the Rangers continued to look for Poisandra and Bones, knowing they wouldn't have gone far.

"Oh, then we just get him new boots!" Koda suggested. "Yes?" he smiled.

"What Chase is trying to say, is that he's jealous of the shiny new Ranger," Olivia smirked from beside Riley. Chase scowled at her.

"Am not! He's not even new. He's over 800 years old," he muttered. Olivia didn't reply, lifting her phone as it rang. She hit ignore, and shoved it back into her pocket.

"Koda's over 10,000 years old," Teddie supplied, earning a glare as Koda smiled brightly.

"Do you have to?" Chase asked irritably as they turned a corner, and Tyler's eyes widened.

"Watch out!" he shouted, and Chase pushed Teddie out of the way, knocking her to the ground as bones wrapped around each of the other Rangers.

"Guys!" Teddie jumped back up. She went to try and free Chase, only to let out a cry of pain as they shocked her. Hearing a laugh, they looked up to see Bones emerge from his hiding place.

"You think some bones can hold us?" Chase growled at him.

"You're pretty brave now," Bones taunted. Teddie ran at him, only for him to grab her leg as she kicked out, and he tossed her into a pillar.

"Teddie!" Chase shouted as Bones shoved Tyler aside.

"We'll see how tough you are after I take your courage!" Chase let out a choke as Bones slammed his hand into his spine. He then began to laugh, and Bones frowned. "Oh, wrong one! That's your funny bone," he realised. "I'm looking for your...backbone!" he pulled out what looked like a bone link.

"Leave him alone!" Tyler yelled as Bones put it into his pot.

"Won't need those anymore," the bones disappeared from around Chase, and he looked down. He looked back up, and screamed.

"Get back! Stay away from me!" he backed up into a wall.

"Come on Ranger, show a little backbone!" Bones followed him as Chase slid to the ground. "Oh wait, you can't! Cause I have it!" the monster laughed, patting the pot. Laughing, he turned and did the same to Koda, Olivia, Riley and Tyler. As Riley, Olivia and Koda clung to Chase, all of them against the wall as Bones grabbed Tyler's backbone, Shelby came into view with Ivan. "Your leader is fearless no more!" Bones taunted. Tyler let out a cry and ran to cling to the others.

"Get them Curio!" Poisandra laughed as she and Curio appeared, and the ragdoll like monster laughed as he taunted the screaming Rangers.

"They're a pack of lily-livered fools," Ivan stared at the Rangers.

"What have you _done_ to them?" Shelby snarled, and Curio immediately backed away from the Rangers. "And Teddie!" she saw the fallen White Ranger, rushing to her side. "This isn't normal!" Shelby insisted to Ivan, who looked dubious.

"It's the Gold Ranger!" Poisandra gasped. "We can't risk losing again!"

"You're right!" Bones agreed. "I already have five Rangers' backbones! Let's go tell Sledge how well we did!" he declared, and the three ran off.

"Ow...my back," Teddie complained as she opened her eyes.

"Brave as the knights of Zandar? Uhuh..." Ivan scoffed, turning and walking off.

"Ivan!" Shelby called, but he was gone.

* * *

"No, I don't wanna!" Koda fought furiously with Shelby as she tried to push him down the secret entrance. He then burst into laughter when Teddie started tickling him, and Shelby opened the trapdoor, letting him fall.

"Koda!" Chase cried out, and Teddie grabbed his arm as he tried to run.

"Sorry bro, you're next," she smiled, and he cried out, fighting her every step of the way. He managed to break free of her grasp and hid behind Tyler.

"Shelby, please!" Tyler cried as Shelby grabbed him. "I'm afraid of dinosaurs!" Teddie pushed him off Riley as he tried to cling to him, and Chase hid behind him and Olivia.

"In you go!" Teddie grunted as the two managed to push Tyler down, and he screamed the entire way down. "Two down, three to go," she sighed as the others stared at them in terror.

* * *

"Well, there's definitely something wrong with them," Kendall surmised as she watched the five terrified Rangers huddled together in the corner.

"The monster said something about taking their backbones," Shelby told them.

"I imagine it's a metaphorical backbone since they can still walk," Ari walked over to them, and they began to wail in terror. "Courage...having a backbone is a metaphor for having courage," she realised, and had Chase by the arm before he could react.

"No, mum, please, let me go!" the Black Ranger cried in fear as he fought her grip. She closed her eyes, feeling for his magic, and hissed a curse.

"What's wrong?" Teddie asked as Ari let Chase go, and he scurried off to rejoin the others.

"Chase has lost his courage. And what have I always told you?" Ari looked at her. Teddie's eyes widened.

"Courage is our magic. You mean...?"

"Without courage, his ability to control magic is gone. You can see the lack of it already taking effect," Ari watched the young man, who was pale and looked a lot more tired than the others. "Chase was born with magic, I don't know what the loss will do to him. That skeletal monster needs destroyed, and now," she said the last part louder.

"But how? We're down _five_ Rangers," Teddie pointed out.

"We need Ivan," Shelby shook her head.

"We don't know where he is," Kendall shook her head.

"I'll find him," Ari told them, and glanced around as the five terrified Rangers screamed again as Nerida walked into view. "Uh, and I'll do it as fast as I can," she raised an eyebrow as the dog tilted her head, confused.

* * *

Ivan walked through the city, aware he was getting odd stares from everyone who passed him, but he didn't pay them any heed. He wondered just what he was going to do now.

"Hey," he jumped, letting out a small squeak as Ari seemed to appear beside him. "Oh, sorry, bad habit," she chuckled.

"Of course," Ivan cleared his throat. "If this is about joining your team, I'm-"

"I'm not going to force you into any kind of decision, Ivan," he frowned at her, and Ari guided him to sit on a bench. "That monster you fought earlier is responsible for the Rangers seeming so terrified of everything," she explained, leaning back. "He stole their courage, and with it, Chase's magic," Ivan's eyes widened.

"My goodness, that is truly a terrible thing to do," he murmured. "And I will defeat this monster, and all the others. I need to amass a group strong enough and brave enough to take these villains on," Ivan stood, but Ari caught his arm and pulled him back down.

"Ivan, the only ones strong enough right now are the Rangers," he frowned at her. "This world has changed a lot since you fought for the King of Zandar. Most people go their lives without having to fight for their lives. In this world, knights no longer fight for kings," Ari told him gently.

"But your father is a Knight," Ivan commented.

"My father is a Knight in the magical realm, Ivan. And his battles are long since fought, I wouldn't ask him to defend this world any more than he already has. He almost died for it once before," Ari glanced to the ground and gave a wry smile. "Well, he died and then came back to life," she murmured.

"My lady..." Ivan was unsure of what to say in response to this.

"It's Ari," she corrected him, and sighed. "What I'm trying to say is, the Dino Charge Rangers are the defenders of Earth now. There may be other Rangers out there, but they have their own problems at hand," Ari explained to him, making him frown.

"Things truly have changed since my time," he admitted, leaning forwards. "What about you? You have magic, I can sense great power with you," Ivan glanced to Ari, who shrugged.

"I'm trying not to interfere," she told him.

"But why?" he pressed.

"Because it's not my fight any more. I hung up my Morpher before I got married," Ari shook her head. "And how do you think it would look, if your mum stepped into every fight you had? It would seem like she didn't believe in you," she pointed out, and Ivan nodded, agreeing with her.

* * *

"Any sign of Ivan yet?" Shelby asked as she walked over to Kendall.

"No," the scientist was frustrated. "If Sledge's monsters attack now, you're going to have to fight with the boys and Olivia, whether their ready or not," she told the Pink Ranger. A loud squeal echoed through the base, and they groaned.

"And I'm guessing they're not," Teddie commented as she looked up from her notebook.

"Mouse!" Koda ran from his cave, immediately setting off the others.

"There it is!" Tyler spotted a little white mouse emerge from the cave, and the five screamed in terror. Racing over to the table. Teddie let out a cry as she was knocked over by the Rangers clambering up onto it.

"Teddie!" Arianna ran over to help her up. Kendall and Shelby sighed.

* * *

"You do not need to fight with me, Ari," Ivan told her as they walked towards where Bones, Poisandra, Curio and their Vivix were waiting.

"You're not fighting them alone, Ivan," Ari replied with a roll of her eyes. "I'm just going to have your back until the others get here," she told him confidently.

"Of course," Ivan still sounded dubious of the other Rangers.

"Come on. Let's see how they like two Golds," Ari grinned, walking on before Ivan could ask what she meant.

* * *

The alarm blared, and Shelby groaned.

"This isn't good," she muttered as Kendall brought up the map. Shelby, Teddie and Arianna ran over to join her, as Kendall narrowed in on the problem.

"Bones is back, and he's got company," Kendall warned. Shelby zoomed in closer, bringing up another light, golden in colour.

"There's Ivan," she realised.

"He's heading straight towards Bones!" Kendall realised.

"I have to help him," Shelby ran off, and Teddie followed her out before Kendall could stop them. Arianna looked to Kendall with a worried gaze.

"Oh no, you're not going out there after the last time," Kendall warned her, and the Mercurian girl sighed. Kendall then looked back to the map, and frowned. She zoomed in even closer on the golden light, and found another light right beside him, also golden in colour. "What is that?" she wondered.

* * *

Looking up, Poisandra gave a small smirk.

"Well, what do we have here?" she laughed as Ivan and Ari approached. "You've got to be joking. Only two of you?" Poisandra mocked.

"Oh, how often have I heard the tone of underestimation," Ari sighed, shaking her head. She fell into a fighting stance as Ivan drew his sword.

"Vivix, rise!" Bones snapped his fingers, and the Vivix raced towards the two. Ari ducked under their punches, rolling along and striking up with her open palm, before deflecting a punch with the back of her hand.

"Whether they're Kelzacks, Hidiacs or Vivix, footsoldiers are all the same," she commented lightly, raising a shield to block more. "Weak," she grinned, kicking out at another.

* * *

The elevator doors slid open, and the five still terrified Rangers screamed as Kendall and Arianna pushed them towards it.

"You've got to go!" Kendall shouted at them.

"I can't fight that meanie!" Chase cried as they turned, pushing past the two. "I don't wanna go!" he wailed as they hid behind the crates.

"Seriously? Come on, please!" Kendall pleaded with them.

"There are monsters out there!" Riley told her, as if she was crazy for thinking they should go out there.

"No way, it's way too scary. I don't wanna see that pink freak," Olivia wailed.

"Guys, Shelby, Teddie and Ivan need your help," Arianna told them gently, and they quietened down. "Chase, that's your sister up there. Ivan's family. And if I'm right, your mum is probably with him too," Kendall frowned as Arianna spoke.

"But 'Anna..." Chase whimpered.

"We're too scared," Riley murmured.

"Bones only took the metaphorical representation of your bravery," Arianna told them gently. "But courage, it comes from facing your fears and fighting. Would you really leave them to fight alone? Would you really leave each other to fight scared and helpless?" she challenged them.

"But..." Olivia shook at the idea.

"If the others fall, we're all that's left. Do you want to risk losing each other too?" Arianna asked them. They looked to each other, and Chase glanced to Olivia, who was huddled next to him. He blinked rapidly, looking away.

"Shelby, Teddie...and Ivan..."

"Against that monster..."

"They counting on us," Koda murmured as they all thought it through.

"We can't, we _won't_ let them down," Tyler spoke firmly as he stood up. He still looked and sounded terrified, but he didn't back down. Arianna and Kendall smiled.

"Let's go," Olivia decided as Chase smiled at her, and she smiled back. Before they could move lights flew down to them, hitting them in the back. They stumbled, before looking up, their fears gone. Chase cleared his throat, moving away from Olivia as she did the same.

"Come on guys!" Tyler called to his friends, and they hurried out.

* * *

Ivan let out a cry as he was tossed to the ground, and Ari breathed heavily, not sure how much longer she could keep it up. If the others didn't get there soon, she'd have to use her powers.

"Unhand me you beasts!" Ivan yelled as the Vivix hauled him up.

"Even the bravest of Rangers can't beat me alone! Time for you to lose your backbone!" Bones laughed. Ari threw another of the monsters aside, but couldn't get close enough to help.

"Think again!" they looked around as Shelby and Teddie raced into view on their bikes.

"They're next! Get them!" Bones ordered.

"Energise! Dino Morpher Blast!" the two blasted the Vivix out of the way. Teddie pulled up beside Ari, blasting another coming at them. "I thought you were gonna bring Ivan to us, not the other way around," she frowned under her helmet, and Ari laughed.

"Sorry Ted, but it looks like my reckless days aren't quite over yet," she told her daughter, who groaned. She then ran to help Shelby take on Bones and the last of the Vivix, while Ari threw two energy balls at the Vivix who held Ivan.

"They fight with only two, yet..." Ivan stood, rubbing his wrists.

"Because they're Rangers," Ari told him. "That's what they do," she smiled.

"Such courage..." Ivan murmured.

"Get rid of those Pink and White nuisances!" Poisandra ordered.

"Shelby! Teddie!" Ivan called as the two were thrown to the ground, demorphing.

"I'll deal with them later! Now, your spine is mine!" Bones turned to Ivan and Ari, who fell into fighting stances again.

"Not so fast!" Bones yelped, falling forwards as Tyler landed a kick to his back. "You forgot about us, you bag of bones," the Red Ranger growled.

"Ted!" Chase ran to his sister.

"Took you long enough, dork," Teddie groaned as he helped her up, and Chase laughed.

"Yeah well, it took a little courage," she groaned again, hitting him.

"That's impossible!" Bones roared as he got back up. Riley helped Shelby up, and they regrouped as Ari backed off. "I took your backbones! Huh? They're gone!" the monster realised as he patted the empty pot. "You've regained your bravery!" he tossed the pot aside as Poisandra and Curio cried out in horror.

"And we've lost ours! Run Curio!" the two screamed and fled.

"Thank you Rangers, perhaps I shouldn't have doubted your courage," Ivan nodded to them.

"No worries mate," Chase grinned back.

"And now, tis Morphing time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed into their respective suits. "Dinosaur might, ready to fight!" they chanted as the Vivix ran at them.

"I'm so glad you guys are back," Teddie laughed as she dodged the Vivix that attacked her, and grabbed two, slamming them together.

"You and me both," Olivia grinned, kicking one to the ground. Nearby, Ivan blasted Bones with a powerful move.

"Alright!" Shelby cheered. "Looks like you've found your knights," she grinned.

"Indeed Lady Shelby, try this," he handed her his Charger.

"Sweet," the Pink Ranger grinned.

"Energise! Dino Morpher Blast!"

"Lightning Final Strike!" the combined attacks destroyed Bones.

"Awesome!" Teddie cheered as they ran over, before Bones reappeared, growing to a much larger height.

"Dino Charger ready! Summon Ptera Zord!" Ivan summoned his Zord, changing it to its Megazord form. "Activate Dino Drive," he activated his Megazord for battle. The other Rangers followed suit, and called on their own Megazord.

"Power Rangers!"

"Together!"

"I'll break you!" Bones roared, but the combined attacks of the two Megazords easily forced him back.

"Follow my lead Rangers," Ivan called as his Zord flew through the air. "Ptera Lightning Slash!" he cut through Bones easily, and changed forms to blast the monster with lightning. "Combine!"

"Forces!"

"Double Bladed Slash!" using both the Stego and Compo sabres, the Rangers used their powerful finisher.

"Ptera Lightning Blitz!" Ivan followed up with one final blow.

"I'm being fossilised!" Bones wailed as he was destroyed.

* * *

The Rangers, plus Ari, Arianna and Kendall, sat at a table in the cafe, listening to Ivan's tale of how he bonded to the Gold Energem.

"I was riding with the young Prince," he started. "It was a day like so many before, and a day like none that would follow. When the Prince became thirsty, we stopped beside a creek. And there it was, glistening in the water, the Gold Energem. We were attacked by the monster, who wanted the Energem. I was able to keep the monster from harming the young Prince, but when he blasted us, the Energem was knocked free, and the powerful beast revealed himself to be Fury," Ivan told them as the group listened, fascinated by his story. "I was certain he would destroy me, but instead, the Energem sent a bolt of power through Fury's sword and across mine, bonding me with the spirit of the Pterodactyl. Fury was enraged that I had, and began to pull me in. I struggled, I struggled mightily, but Fury was too strong, and he dragged me into his dark and evil body. The Energem fell into the creek, where I thought it was lost forever, but luckily it was found by-oh, what is that?!" he gasped when a burger was set down in front of him.

"Bronto Burger," Koda explained with a smile.

"Man, and that was really getting to be the scariest story I'd ever heard," Olivia complained. Her phone buzzed, and she looked down at it, frowning, before slipping it back into her pocket without opening the message.

"I'll tell you about Catastros sometime," Ari grinned. Olivia glanced at her, confused. Ivan bit into the burger, and groaned. Koda and he got up to get fries, and the others called back.

"Wait!"

"How does it end?" Tyler asked desperately.

"Oh, you know, 800 years of darkness, then you saved me, and here I am," Ivan smiled, and rushed off with Koda. The Rangers sighed heavily as Ari couldn't help but grin in amusement. "Oh, and as I've said," Ivan returned and spoke quietly. "A Knight's loyalty is forever. I'm honoured to be part of your team," he smiled at them. They grinned back, and laughed as he and Koda rushed off to get more food.

* * *

 **And now Ivan has joined the team! This chapter took a little while to write cause I was too busy laughing at the Rangers screaming. The scene where Shelby is trying to get them down into the base made me laugh so hard.**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	14. No More Secrets

**So this wasn't going to be posted till tomorrow, but I was pretty excited so I couldn't help but release it now! Next chapter will be after I finish the one I'm working on!  
**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 14: No More Secrets

Playing her guitar as she sat in the corner of the café, Teddie practised, taking advantage of the quiet of the morning. Taking a breath, she started to sing.

" _Baby, what's up with you?  
My hands on the handles, I'm ready to go,  
Want my heart, and what my love?  
No? Let's just swing and kiss!'_ she began to play notes on the guitar, getting into the rhythm.

' _I say no to a half baked style,  
A love that makes me soar is for me,  
Beautiful, excuse me!  
If you wish for them, lalala, possibilities._

 _Point is, I don't care. Dollars, how much is fake?  
Point, one in two,  
Just do it if there's love!_

 _What 'bout my star?  
What 'bout my star?  
What 'bout my star?'_

Teddie stopped abruptly as she heard someone walk in, startled by the sudden noise, wondering if it was a customer. A face peered around at her, and she relaxed.

"I apologise for startling you, my lady, I was intrigued," Ivan apologised as he walked in. "Was that you?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, um...yeah," Teddie blushed as she looked down at her guitar.

"You're very good," Ivan praised, which only made her blush grow.

"Thanks, Ivan," she smiled. "A lot of practice. Though I should probably stop before Ms. Morgan realises I'm not setting up," Teddie grinned, getting to her feet and setting down her guitar as Ivan smiled in amusement.

"Ah, so that's what she meant when she requested I keep an eye on you," Teddie's blush, which had been fading, returned full force.

"I do work...sometimes," she grinned, making him smile back.

"Then allow me to help you, my lady," he joined her in setting up the tables, and Teddie watched him. The Knight was growing quickly accustomed to living in modern times, though she couldn't help but find it weird to see him in her brother's clothes. He'd lent them to the Knight, who'd begrudgingly agreed to wear them until someone could find time to help him get new clothes that suited him. It was as odd seeing him in normal clothes, as it was seeing her grandparents in them.

"No, dad, I'm not gonna be home soon," they glanced up as Olivia walked out of the kitchen on her phone, looking stressed. "I'm working, I can't just bail," she told her dad, before noticing the two standing watching her. "I gotta go, I'll see you tonight," she hung up quickly and shoved her phone into her pocket.

"Is everything okay?" Teddie asked her.

"Yeah, fine," Olivia answered shortly. "Kitchen's done, do you need help here?" she asked.

"No, we're good thanks," Teddie said, looking worried.

"Grand, I'm gonna mop the floors then," Olivia walked out quickly before any more could be said, and Teddie sighed.

"My goodness, something seems wrong with Lady Olivia," Ivan commented as he watched the doorway. Teddie shrugged, lifting the cleaning fluid.

"She just shuts herself off from us when she doesn't wanna talk about something. She's hiding something big that's getting to her," the White Ranger commented softly, worried for her friend.

"I see," Ivan looked back at Teddie, and smiled, taking her hands. "Lady Olivia is a part of this team and she trusts us. I imagine she will tell us when she's ready," he said confidently. Teddie smiled back at him, and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks Ivan," she said, and he winked before returning to setting up. "Morning Riley," Teddie called as she saw the Green Ranger walk in.

"Morning..." he muttered. Teddie rolled her eyes.

"Okay genius, what's wrong with you?" she asked, startling him into stopping.

"What? Nothing's wrong," he told her, and Teddie rested her hands on her hips. She arched an eyebrow, and Riley struggled to maintain eye contact.

"Fine. Just some guy near ran me over with a skateboard on my way in here," he admitted.

"My word Lady Teddie, perhaps you don't need to wait for them to talk when they're ready," Ivan commented mildly, alarmed at how easily Teddie had gotten the truth from their teammate.

"Depends on the person. Riley's a little easy to intimidate like that," Teddie grinned.

"Hey!" Riley frowned at her.

"I'm kidding Riley. But seriously, some jerk nearly took you out? You okay?" Teddie soothed him.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. It just annoys me how careless some people can be," Riley complained. Teddie nodded, walking into the kitchen. Riley followed, and Ivan lifted the last of the chairs down from the tables.

"Hey there," Ivan looked around as someone called out to him.

"Yes, my good sir, how may I help you?" Ivan greeted him politely, and the man paused, a glimmer of recognition in his eyes. He then grinned; and Ivan was struck by the familiarity of his smile.

"You must be Ivan," the Gold Ranger was taken aback by the man's words. Not only did this stranger know his name, but his accent was very different.

"My word, are you an oracle?" he asked curiously. The man laughed.

"No, mate, I'm-"

"Hey!" Riley stopped as he walked back in, staring at him. "You're the guy from this morning! You nearly ran me over!" he accused. The man blinked rapidly, a look of confusion that made both Riley pause as he too found it familiar.

"I did?" he asked, baffled.

"Yes, you did," Riley scowled. "What do you-"

"Dad!" the man's baffled look was replaced with a smile as Teddie suddenly threw herself at him in a hug. "I missed you," she shouted into his chest, making him laugh.

"At least you admit it, better than your mum, eh?" he grinned, and Teddie giggled.

"Don't let her hear you say that," she warned.

"Too late," Xander whirled around and smiled innocently at Ari. She stood behind him, her arms folded and an eyebrow raised.

"Ari, sweetie, you're looking as beautiful as ever-"

"When in the time we've known each other, has Plan Xander _ever_ worked on me?" Ari cut him off, and let out a yelp when he suddenly grabbed her into a hug.

"Just show me affection for once!" Xander demanded.

"Never!" Ari yelled back.

"Hold on a second, this guy's your dad?" Riley demanded to Teddie, who was rolling her eyes at her parents' antics.

"Huh? Yeah, I mean I did call him dad," Teddie giggled. "Why? Do you know him? I heard you using that voice you use on Chase when he's annoying you," she teased. Riley blushed.

"He's the guy who almost ran me down earlier," he told her.

"Xander!" Ari exclaimed, having heard the Green Ranger.

"I didn't realise!" Xander cried in alarm, and released her to turn to the young man. "I'm really sorry mate," he apologised, and Riley shrugged.

"It's alright, no harm done," he told him. Their communicators suddenly went off, and they looked down.

"Gotta go!" Teddie called, rushing out, followed by Riley and Ivan.

"Ah...memories," Xander murmured with a grin, pulling Ari close.

"Yeah, yeah," Ari rolled her eyes with a smile, turning around in his grasp. "I missed you," she told him, making him grin down at her.

"Wow, you admitted it!" he lifted her into the air and she sighed. "I'm so glad you're finally able to admit how you feel about me," Xander sniffed.

"Would you just kiss me, you dork?" Ari rolled her eyes, her arms resting around his shoulders.

"For you, my dear, anything," he grinned, and kissed her as she sighed again.

* * *

"Where is this guy?" Shelby asked as they reached the coordinates that Kendall sent them.

"Huh, weird. Normally they're practically parading around for us to fight," Teddie rested her hand on her hip as she looked around, but there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary, save the Morphed Rangers.

"Hey, Ms. Morgan?" Tyler grabbed his communicator. "We're here, but there's no sign of any trouble," he told her, and she frowned.

 _' The systems are definitely picking up something strange, but it doesn't seem entirely...alien_ ,' Kendall told them, looking away from the screen.

"Not alien?" Shelby repeated, an eyebrow arched.

' _It's not human, but it's nothing I've ever seen before_ ,' Kendall told them. ' _Keep your eyes open, it's still around there_ ,' she warned them.

"Right," Tyler nodded. He returned his communicator to his belt, and kept looking around.

" _You_ are this world's defenders?" they whirled around when a new voice spoke out. "It seems that not much has changed since my last visit," the man commented as they took him in. He wore silver armour, lined with gold, and a green cape flowed behind him in the wind.

"Who are you?" Tyler asked him curiously as the man flicked his black hair from his face.

"Mortals," he scoffed. "So oblivious nowadays. I miss the days of worship, now they were fun," he complained idly, and his green eyes settled on Tyler. "I assume you're the leader. I'm looking for someone," he told the Red Ranger.

"Uh...who?" Riley asked from his side. The stranger's unsettling green eyes moved to him.

"I seek the Legendary Golden Warrior," he announced, a smirk spreading across his features.

"Who's that?" Riley asked, confused.

"Ivan?" Koda guessed, looking to their Gold Ranger. The stranger scoffed.

"Of course not," he sneered at them. "The man has no level of power that could face mine whatsoever," he taunted. Ivan bristled.

"Why are you looking for the Legendary Golden Warrior?" they looked to Chase as he stepped forwards, his voice controlled.

"Who are you?" Teddie stood beside him, her voice equally as straight as her brother's.

"What's going on?" Tyler asked them quietly.

"You see, I was once humiliated by a mortal on this planet, and I've finally managed to dodge my nuisance of a brother for long enough to finally have my revenge. But I don't want to do anything without a challenge, and I heard the Legendary Protector had finally shown themselves, so I thought I'd have some fun," the man told them. "So bring them to me, here at this spot, by tomorrow. Or, I'll destroy your planet," he told them.

"What? But we have no idea who this guy is!" Shelby cried out in horror.

"And if you think we'll just let you destroy our planet, you've another thing coming," Tyler warned him. A snide smile pulled at the man's mouth.

"Oh? And you think you can stand up to a god?" he taunted them, before suddenly throwing out his hands. The Rangers were blasted off their feet, and landed hard, demorphing instantly. "Mortals. Leave them unsupervised for a few centuries and they become as arrogant as gods. Tomorrow, little heroes," he then rippled green, and vanished.

* * *

"What a jerk!" Shelby fumed as she stormed back into the base. "He comes here and threatens our planet like that?! No way, I'll kick his butt!" she declared.

"When?" Olivia groaned, nursing her bruised cheek. "When he's asleep?" Shelby shot her a glare.

"What happened out there?" Kendall demanded as they all approached her.

"We got our butts handed to us, by this total freak!" Shelby exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "He's threatening to destroy the planet, unless-" she stopped when she noticed another person in the base with them. "Uh..."

"Dad?" Chase frowned. Xander raised his hand.

"Teddie didn't tell you I was in town?" he smiled easily at them. Chase shook his head.

"What's with you guys?" Ari asked, seeing their bruises and defeated expressions. "You don't normally get so wound up after a-"

"He's looking for the Legendary Golden Warrior," Ari froze at Teddie's outburst. Xander immediately looked to his wife, his own carefree smile gone. Ari glanced to him, meeting his gaze, before standing up.

"Who was?" she asked, taking on a completely different air than usual.

"Who is this Legendary Warrior guy?" Shelby asked, baffled.

"The Legendary Golden Warrior..." Kendall folded her arms. "They were believed to be a Power Ranger, about 20 years ago, the Gold Ranger who fought on several teams," she explained. "But then they just vanished," she shrugged.

"Great. How are we supposed to find him before tomorrow?" Olivia grumbled, throwing her hands into the air. Ari walked past them, going to the computer and bringing up the footage of the fight.

"There's not much there. Just us getting out butts kicked," Riley shrugged, and Ari paused on the man smirking at them.

"Loki," she whispered.

"You _know_ him?" Tyler asked with wide eyes.

"Wait, isn't Loki the Norse God of Mischief? That's im-"

"Improbable, not impossible," Ari cut Riley off abruptly. She then sighed heavily. "When I was a Ranger, Loki came to Earth, impersonating Thor, trying to steal the legendary Hammer, Mjolnir. He was tricked and we thought he'd just left to try and get the hammer a different way, but..."

"He said he was humiliated, and wanted revenge," Olivia spoke up. Ari shook her head. "He wants to fight this Gold Ranger tomorrow, how are we supposed to find him?" she questioned.

"I'll handle that part," Ari told them.

"Ari," Xander stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head.

"All that can be done till tomorrow is wait. Sorry guys," Ari apologised to the team.

"So...we no fight?" Koda frowned, not understanding.

"It seems we are not this _Loki_ fellow's intended opponent," Ivan told him.

"Then what can we do?" Tyler asked helplessly. Ari glanced to Olivia as the girl pulled her phone from her pocket, scowled and hit ignore on the call.

"Go back to work. This guy doesn't work for Sledge, so be alert. He might just try and take advantage of this situation," Ari told them, and they frowned at her, but nodded.

* * *

Olivia barely paid attention to where she was walking as she headed home, worried about what was going to happen tomorrow. Nerida stuck close by her, aware of her owner's worry.

"Ari seemed really shaken by this guy. Even Chase and Teddie's dad seemed freaked too. If he's really Loki...then what hope do we have against a God?" she wondered aloud, and looked down as the dog nudged her. "Oh, sorry girl," Olivia smiled, crouching beside her and scratching behind her ear. "Come on, let's get home," she told the dog, who wagged her tail.

They approached the small house, and Olivia sighed, bracing herself for another conversation with her dad, who had been trying to call her all day, but had stopped by the time Olivia finished work, and hadn't answered when she'd called him back. She got to the front door, and Nerida started to whine. "Hey, what's up girl?" she asked softly, before hearing voices inside. She frowned. Her dad never had guests. Opening the door, she walked inside. "Dad?" she called, and the voices quietened.

"Who're you?" she jumped back, and Nerida barked at the imposing stranger in a suit.

"Who am I? Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" Olivia demanded as she recovered from her shock.

"Call the mutt off," the man told her in an irritated voice.

"Not until you tell me what you're doing here," Olivia growled back, but she was shaking. She had no idea where her courage to face monsters had gone.

"Whoa, let's all calm down here," she looked at the fat man who walked into the hall with his hands raised. His eyes were bright blue, and he had white hair. "Judging from the accent, you must be Olivia, Jim's girl, right?" he asked her with a smile that didn't seem friendly at all.

"Who are you? Where's my dad?" Olivia asked, gripping Nerida's collar as the dog snarled.

"I'm afraid your dad has run off, and owes us a lot of money," the man told her. "The name's Bob," he told her, still smiling. Olivia wanted to grab her Dino Charger and go prehistoric on the man.

"Skips town and leaves his kid? Murphy's a lot worse than we thought," the man in the suit scoffed.

"Now, we've decided to let his debt go, since he kindly left his keys before departing. But that means this place is now Cartel property, little lady, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," his smile turned a lot more sinister. Olivia wanted desperately to argue. She was a Ranger, how could her dad let them just take their house? Everything they owned? How could _she_?

"Fine..." she mumbled in a small voice. "Come on Nerida," she pulled the dog back out the door, and it slammed behind her. She stood there, trembling, not sure what she was going to do now. She barely even registered the sound of something breaking inside, nor the raised voices.

"Hey!" she finally reacted when she heard a hiss, and looked around. A scrawny young man wearing a suit that looked entirely too big on him was peering out from the back garden.

"What do you want? To gloat?" Olivia snapped at him, her eyes watery and her voice weak, lacking the fight she would normally give Chase.

"No, I just..." he shuffled, seeming awkward. "I can get you some stuff," he offered. Olivia stared at him.

"Why?" she demanded, and he held out a picture frame.

"Sorry...I had to break the glass so they didn't think anything of it. My slight of hand isn't great," the young man admitted, and Olivia snatched the picture of her mother from him. She stared at it, and Nerida approached him, making him even more nervous.

"I um...some things, in my room," Olivia managed to say. He nodded, and ran off quickly. Olivia waited, and lifted her Energem from around her neck. "How can I have so much power, and not even be able to stand up to thugs?" she whispered, staring at the gemstone as it shone even in the dark of the night.

"Hey," she jumped, and shoved her Energem back under her shirt as the young man stared at her curiously. "I kinda just grabbed what looked important...and clothes and stuff," he held out the bag to her.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Olivia demanded as she took it from him. He shrugged back, clearly not having a reason.

"Ziggy! Where's that food?" Bob's voice reached them.

"Oh no...I've burned it!" he rushed off, and the door shut behind him.

"Now what?" Olivia mumbled to herself, clutching her backpack to her chest.

* * *

Sitting on a bench, Olivia looked up at the stars above her as Nerida lay by her feet, alert for anything moving around her. The Forest Ranger just hugged her bag closer to her chest, at a loss. She could maybe go to the museum, or one of the other Rangers, but to tell them what had happened was something she couldn't face.

Part of her wasn't surprised that her father had run off. Olivia felt guilty, wishing she'd answered his calls earlier in the day. She knew he'd had gambling problems, but that he'd borrowed money from cartels was crazy to think.

"Ari, this isn't your fault," she barely even reacted to the familiar voice nearby, but her companion's head lifted.

"Isn't it? Xander, I tricked Loki back then by giving him a fake hammer, and now he's back, threatening to destroy the planet. The Rangers were defeated by him in seconds," Nerida stood up, her tail wagging.

"And you think that by not giving him a powerful hammer, you've caused this? Ari, your ego really is worse than mine," Xander chuckled. Ari shot him a glare.

"That's not possible. I'm not the one who almost got turned into a tree because of a pimple," she shot back, and he sighed.

"I had a moment of weakness," he defended, before looking down as the tan dog ran over.

"Nerida?" Ari frowned, recognising the dog. She barked, wagging her tail, before running back over to her owner. "Olivia?" Ari spotted the Ranger sitting on the bench, and let Xander's hand go to approach her. "Hey, what are you doing out? You should be at home," Ari reached out and touched her shoulder. Immediately tears began to roll down Olivia's face.

"I can't...I don't...have..." she choked on her sobs, and Ari quickly pulled her into a tight hug, letting her cry as she shot Xander a worried look.

* * *

Olivia was exhausted by the time the three arrived back at the house.

"Nerida, you bark and you're in trouble," Ari warned the dog, who simply wagged her tail. "Good girl," she praised, patting her head. "You okay for the sofa for tonight, till we get you sorted tomorrow?" Ari smiled at Olivia gently.

"If we even need to worry about that," Xander muttered, and yelped when Ari punched his arm. "Kidding!" he said quickly.

"You don't have to do this," Olivia said to them, looking up at the couple.

"I know we don't. But we want to," Ari told her firmly. "Now, do you have stuff to sleep in? If not we can get some of Ted's for you, you're about the same size," Olivia paused, and Ari glanced to Xander, who nodded and disappeared off to get stuff.

"Thank you," Olivia whispered, and Ari put a hand on her shoulder.

"You don't have to thank me. Just get some sleep. Bathroom's at the top of the stairs, and we'll be up there if you need us. Second on the left," Olivia nodded silently, and Xander dropped in the sheets and clothes in for her.

"Do you need anything else?" he asked her, and she shook her head. He offered a smile, before the two disappeared up the stairs, leaving Olivia to try and sleep. Changing, she got comfortable on the sofa, and couldn't help but smile when Nerida clambered up and practically lay on top of her. Before she realised it, she was fast asleep.

* * *

Olivia had always been an early riser, but Ari was even more so, as the Forest Ranger woke the next morning to find Ari already awake and in the kitchen.

"Morning, how'd you sleep?" Ari greeted as Olivia stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Better than expected," she admitted. Ari smiled.

"Good. Your protector must have helped," she glanced to Nerida as the dog walked in. She set down a bowl, and Nerida was over in an instant, devouring the cooked meat. "Breakfast's on the way, take a seat," Ari told her, and Olivia sat down, watching Ari curiously.

"I'm not...used to this," Olivia couldn't help but say as Ari set a glass of juice down in front of her.

"It's a habit for me really. I moved a lot during my teenage years, so I made sure I always made breakfast. Then when I settled down, it stuck even more," Ari chuckled, shrugging. She glanced up as Xander stumbled in, yawning widely. "Morning. Surprised you woke up this side of the morning. The way you were snoring, I expected you to be out cold for a while," she teased. Xander gave a mocking laugh.

"I don't snore," he told her, and kissed her lightly. Olivia glanced away, heat colouring her cheeks. "That'd ruin my good looks," Xander grinned, and Ari swatted at him.

"Sure thing, dork," she retorted.

"Oh, how you wound me," Xander wrapped his arms around her. "Besides, our other guest woke me up by getting ready. The knight really struggles with jeans," he grinned, and Ari laughed.

"I hear that. Woke me up," Chase complained as he stumbled in.

"Chase, I keep telling you dude, shirt," Ari frowned at him, and Olivia's already red face burned even warmer as she saw the Black Ranger move around the kitchen shirtless.

"But that's upstairs, and breakfast is..." he stopped, finally noticing Olivia sitting at the table. Without another word, he rushed off, and Ari turned away to hide her laughter as Xander grinned in amusement.

"Now that was interesting," he commented.

"Maybe I'll finally have some control over this lot with you here," Ari told Olivia, who was now finding her drink very interesting. Ari then sighed, looking at the clock. The timer was ticking down to when Loki would be back. She needed to be ready.

* * *

"Okay guys, keep your eyes open for this creep," Tyler called to his team as they gathered in the square again.

"I wonder if this Legendary Warrior guy will show," Shelby murmured, her blaster ready to fire.

"Oh, I'd hope so," they whirled around and fired blasts at Loki, who was sitting nearby. The blasts went through him, and the illusion faded. "Oh, so hostile. I love it," he smirked, standing in front of them. "Now, did you bring what I asked for?" he asked them.

"A true knight never leaves the battle to someone else," Ivan told him, his sabre raised. Loki chuckled.

"How valiant. But it doesn't mean much to a God," he mocked.

"You've always bragged about how being a God makes you better than us, Loki," his eyes widened, and the Rangers inhaled sharply as Ari approached, wearing strange leather gear. A sun symbol rested over her chest, and she walked with purpose towards him.

"You," Loki snarled at her.

"After all Loki, I did trick you into taking the wrong hammer," she smiled at him.

"Wait, _you_ tricked him?" Shelby demanded.

"The one who once had me believe them a God as well," Loki scoffed. Ari shrugged.

"I told you repeatedly I wasn't Sol. You just never listened," she pointed out. He let out a snarl, unable to keep his composure. "Now. Are you willing to back off and leave this planet alone? Or are we going to have to talk it out a bit more?" Ari challenged him, standing in front of the Rangers.

"What? Ari, you can't take on a God! We need that Legendary Warrior guy!" Riley protested, but Chase blocked his path. "Chase, stop her!" Riley shouted, but Chase didn't respond. His entire body was tense, and he didn't look away from Ari.

"Oh, and are you going to make me?" Loki smirked, managing to calm himself. Ari rolled her eyes.

"Loki, do you realise why I came out here? You made a request, and I've granted it," his smirk faded at her words.

"What? No...you can't be it," he backed away in alarm.

"Why do they always say that. I can be, and I am," Ari rolled her eyes, and golden light surrounded her.

"What happening?" Koda questioned as the light faded, leaving Ari in golden armour lined with silver. The helmet and boots had wings along the edges, and on the chest plate was a sun, similar to the one she wore on her gear.

"Ari... _you're_ the Legendary Golden Warrior?" Tyler gaped.

"Never said I wasn't. And you guys thought I was a dude," Ari chuckled, drawing her sword.

"How poetic that I'd get my revenge like this," Loki hissed back, calling on a sword on his own. He raced towards Ari with a yell, and the clashing of metal rang out as they began to fight.

"So let me get this straight," Shelby put a hand to her helmet. "Your _mum_ is this Legendary Warrior?" she turned to Chase and Teddie. "Why'd you never say?" she demanded.

"We didn't want to make a big deal out of it," Chase replied with a simple shrug.

"A big deal of it," Shelby repeated flatly. "We already knew that she was a Ranger with Tyler's dad," she pointed out.

"Ms. Morgan said before, the Legendary Golden Warrior fought on several teams," Riley pointed out.

"Now wait a moment," Ivan raised a hand. "The Legendary Golden Warrior. Great Protector," he folded his arms, in thought, before gasping. "Wait, you mean to say that Ari is the one prophesied to succeed the Father of Magic, Merlin?" he demanded.

"Wait. What?" Olivia frowned at him.

"I didn't originally hail from Zandar, instead I came from another land, where magic was abundant," Ivan's words had all but Chase and Teddie staring at him wordlessly. "I assumed you knew," he defended.

"Oh sure. We totally knew about a different world of magic and that you came from there," Riley's voice was pitched higher in his shock.

"Look guys," Chase groaned. "Our mum is a Ranger legend. She's also the legendary protector to all the worlds, magical and non-magical. We didn't tell you because-"

"We didn't want you to think us that weird," Teddie shrugged. "Our friends we grew up with always knew, and it was normal to them. But you guys haven't really grown up with that stuff," she said, speaking in particular to Riley, Koda, Shelby and Olivia.

"You guys are idiots," Shelby sighed, shaking her head.

"You family, part of tribe," Koda told them firmly. "We trust each other," they nodded.

"Sorry guys," Chase chuckled, before looking around. "And I think Sledge just decided to take advantage of the distraction," he gestured to the Vivix who had appeared with another monster.

"And it looks like Ari has Loki handled, so let's do this!" Tyler called, glancing to Ari as she blocked Loki's attack with her shield, forcing him backwards.

"You're as infuriating as ever," Loki hissed as he recovered, swinging his sword at her.

"Glad to hear I didn't grow out of it," Ari replied lightly, blocking his attack. "Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Sparrow!" she released her golden Animal Spirit, who hurtled towards Loki as the man's eyes widened.

"What is-" he barely dodged the Sparrow as she flew past his head and curved around. Loki followed it, before turning and blocking Ari's strike, blasting her back. She flipped in the air, landing on her feet, and hurled an energy ball at his head, only for it to go through the illusion. Ari rolled forwards, dodging his blow from behind, and threw her hands up as she began to speak in a different language. Golden light slammed into Loki, throwing him into the side of a building.

"You guys couldn't even focus a decent attack when we're distracted, lame!" Teddie taunted as she cut through the Vivix who rushed her. She then returned the sabre to her side, and threw out her hands. They began to glow green, and vines burst from the ground, wrapping around the ones that surrounded her. The vines then tossed the Vivix into the air, and she blasted each of them. "Hey Chase, I think I'm gonna take your spot as hotshot!" she called to him.

"You wish!" the Black Ranger scoffed as he took out each footsoldier with a quick shot.

"Yeah, I thought Ivan already took that," Riley commented as he glanced to Ivan who was taking out the Vivix even faster than Chase.

"Hey!" Chase complained as the others laughed.

"Ty!" Teddie tossed Tyler her Dino Charger, and he inserted it into his Morpher.

"Dino Morpher Blast, final strike!" he fired the Red and White attack at the monster, who shrieked as he was destroyed, and the Rangers cheered.

"With the Power of the Sun!" Ari held out her sword as it began to glow with golden magic. "Shining Sun Attack!" she threw out the power, and it slammed into Loki. He let out a yell, tossed through the air, before landing on the ground hard. "Like it or not Loki, this planet is defended," Ari stood over him, her sword raised. Her Sparrow Spirit flew through the air behind her. "By me, and by the Rangers. So try and defeat us..." she trailed off, and thunder clapped above, making Loki look up sharply. "Or face your brother," Ari smiled.

"I will get my revenge, mark my words," Loki vowed, and disappeared in a rippling green. Ari gave a small laugh, and the armour shattered. She stretched, looking up at the sky.

"He's way too easy to fool. I need to thank those Thunder Ninjas for their help sometime," she commented with a smirk. Before showing up to fight Loki, she'd contacted Hunter and Blake, along with Annie and her little brother Miles, for some help in making it seem like Thor was on his way.

"That was awesome!" she glanced around as Tyler cheered, and the team ran over to her, demorphing. "I can't believe you chased that guy off!" the Red Ranger grinned. Ari shrugged.

"It's what I do," she shrugged.

* * *

"Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, Mystic Force, Overdrive, and Jungle Fury. Five teams," Kendall listed as footage from Ari's past battles showed on the screen. "I can't believe you never said anything," she shook her head.

"I can't believe that it's _Ari_ ," Shelby shrugged.

"It's not my style to brag about that stuff," Ari replied, sitting on the table with Xander standing beside her. "You're on a team with Chase and Teddie, not me, it's up to them to tell you, if they want to or not," she glanced to the White and Black Rangers.

"We weren't quite ready to announce that stuff," Teddie grinned, leaning against the console. "We're not the most normal of families," she pointed out.

"Speak for yourself," Xander retorted.

"Do we need to bring up the 'almost getting turned into a tree' thing again?" Ari challenged him. Xander sighed.

"Then you know the team in Briarwood that helped us back when Chase got brainwashed," Riley glanced to Chase, who shrugged.

"Eh..." Ari shot Xander an amused look as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that...you're welcome for the help," he grinned. Teddie put a hand to her face.

" _What_?" there was an outcry, and Ari started to laugh as the disbelief started all over again.

* * *

 **Well, it's finally out in the open! I hope you liked the big reveal.**

 **Initially Loki was going to have a much bigger part in the series, back when I was writing Overdrive, but I liked the idea of him coming back now. I came up with something a lot more fun for later, I just have to work it in somewhere. Back when I first planned Loki to have a bigger part, I was a huge Loki fan, but it's kinda faded (until now, the new trailer has revived a lot of my love ahaha).**

 **Also, I forgot to respond about further stories. Currently I have an RPM story planned, but I'm considering doing a Ninja Steel one as well, if I can find the time to watch more than three episodes so I can decide if I want to or not. Otherwise, the ending is kind of in the air. I have an endgame in mind for how to finally finish this series, but I just need to figure out _how_ to incorporate it.**

 **The song Teddie sings at the start of this chapter is an English translation of the song What 'bout My Star from Macross Frontier, which I edited slightly to fight better than the literal translation!**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Please review!**


	15. Sync or Swim

**I'm so glad you liked the last chapter! I was so nervous about it.**

 **Anyways, I managed to fight through my latest bout of no motivation and finish another chapter, so here you go!**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 15: Sync or Swim

"Guys, come on, you can't be late today!" Ari called up the stairs as she pulled on her boots. "Kendall is going to be stressed out enough as it is," she reminded them.

"What _is_ happening today?" Olivia asked as she walked down the stairs. Since her dad had vanished, Ari had insisted she stay with them, somehow managing to get hold of the rest of Olivia's things. Olivia hadn't asked, still trying to adjust to just how _not normal_ Ari was. She had tried to find another place to live, but Ari had refused, not wanting her to be on her own when she'd just been left behind by her family. Olivia was grateful, and was slowly starting to settle in, even if it did mean fighting even more with the Black Ranger.

"The museum's Fossil Fun Day for kids. I think Kendall is as excited as the kids," Ari chuckled. "Teddie, no running!" she called up the stairs as they heard thudding around the upper level.

"Where's Ivan?" Chase asked as he walked down the stairs, pulling his hat on.

"Went out earlier," Ari chuckled as Teddie followed Chase down, slipping her arms through her jacket that seemed a little too big on her.

"He said he had something important to do," Arianna spoke as she walked out of the kitchen. Ari glanced to her, grateful they had enough room in the house for the three extra guests.

"That can either be very good, or very bad," Chase chuckled. "Hopefully he's getting new clothes, if he wakes me up one more morning cause he can't get into a shirt..." he trailed off.

"If not, we'll get him sorted once this day is over," Ari soothed. "Now let's go, before Kendall freaks," she told the group of teenagers.

* * *

"Koda, can you hand me that rope?" Chase called to the caveman as they secured the truck. "Thanks," he grinned as Koda tossed him the other side.

"That is everything," Tyler called as he set the last box onto the truck.

"You sure Shelby doesn't want to get in there like old times?" Teddie teased the Pink Ranger as she helped tie the ropes.

"That happened twice!" Shelby blushed.

"Twice more than the rest of us," Chase grinned at her.

"Almost ready to go," Koda told them as Tyler called Shelby over to his jeep so they could leave a few more things in it.

"This looks like fun," Olivia commented as she saw the hats and buckets.

"Ms. Morgan hosts it every year apparently, kids love it," Teddie told them as Arianna lifted a plastic spade curiously.

"So they dig for fossils? Like the ones you found your Energems in?" she asked them.

"Kinda," Chase nodded with a grin. "Though we hid the bones they're to find last night," he told her.

"I see," Arianna set the blue spade down, before they heard the sound of a horse coming towards them. Looking up, they saw a white horse riding towards the museum, with a figure clad in armour astride it.

"Is that...?"

"Looks like he didn't go shopping for new clothes," Teddie giggled, and Chase laughed as they all gathered around.

"Ivan?" Koda gaped, in awe of the grand arrival.

"He's like something out of a romance novel," Shelby gasped. Ivan lifted the visor of his helmet, and smiled to the crowd.

"You have got to be kidding me," Tyler muttered.

"He seems to be, quite literally, a knight in shining armour," a young man commented beside him, sounding amused. Ivan drew his sword, raising it to the sky.

"I come prepared for battle!" he declared. Shelby, Olivia and Arianna all sighed, won over by the charming knight. Chase laughed, and even Tyler couldn't help but chuckle as people rushed over to take pictures.

"So I take it that's Ivan," the man who spoke before commented.

"Yeah, how'd you gu-Spencer?" Chase did a double-take as he glanced at the slightly taller man, who pulled off his glasses and held them out to his brother with a smirk.

"You need these?" he teased.

"Spencer!" Teddie smiled, throwing her arms around her brother. "What are you doing here?" she asked as he laughed, hugging her back.

"Just checking in. Sky wants to know how you guys are holding up against Sledge," Spencer told her.

"What?" Olivia frowned, not understanding why this new arrival knew of their fight.

"Oh, Oli," Teddie grinned, turning to her. "This is Spencer, our big bro," she introduced him, and he held out his hand to her.

"I'm with SPD, B-Squad Gold Ranger," he explained as the Forest Ranger looked blank. She reached out, shaking his hand. "We've known about Sledge since he arrived in the galaxy, and we've been trying to help where we can," Spencer told the girl, who nodded.

"Right," she still looked a little confused, and glanced to Teddie. "Is anyone in your family normal?" she asked, making Spencer laugh.

"Our grandparents, possibly," Teddie shrugged with a smile of her own. "On dad's side," she added as an afterthought.

"So this is the Knight who was trapped in Fury," Spencer commented as he looked up at Ivan, who was posing for photos. "The resemblance to Gramps is weird," he said as Kendall rushed over with Riley.

"Nothing to see here folks, the museum entrance is right over there! Thank you!" Kendall called, gesturing to the museum quickly. The crowd groaned, but dispersed.

"Good day peasants! Have fun," Ivan waved pleasantly as Kendall walked over to the others.

"I think we need to get some clothes for Ivan that are a tad less...medieval," she commented as she glanced back at the man in metal armour.

"I can take you shopping!" Shelby volunteered quickly.

"T'would be a pleasure m'lady!" Ivan nodded. Olivia and Teddie started to giggle as Tyler scowled, unable to hide his jealousy as Shelby climbed up behind the Gold Ranger. "A brisk gallop through the woods is now in order!" he declared.

"Dude, you're just going to the mall!" Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you take the others in your motorised buggy, and we'll meet you at the park?" Ivan dismissed him, and with a laugh, closed the visor on his helmet and trotted off.

"My...buggy?" Tyler muttered as Chase tried – and failed – to hide his laughter. With a huff, Tyler spun and stormed off with his new coat flicking out behind him.

"Oh, Spencer," Kendall turned to the young man as she realised he was there. "I didn't know you'd be here," she cleared her throat and shook his hand as he smiled at her. Teddie tilted her head, seeing less of the confidence behind it that he usually had.

"Ms. Morgan, sorry, I would have called ahead, but I got the order about two hours ago," he told her. "The Commander has asked me just to check in now and again. After the trouble with the Ptera Zord, he just wants to make sure that you have everything you need," Spencer explained.

"That's fine. We can go over it later? It's just, the Fossil Fun Day-"

"That's no problem," Spencer laughed, shaking his head. "Need a hand? I'm not needed back at base unless there's an emergency," he offered her, and Kendall smiled back.

"Sure, that would be great," she agreed. He gestured for her to lead the way, and they walked over to the jeep.

"That was different," Teddie commented, her arms folded. Chase hummed his agreement.

"What different?" Koda asked curiously.

"It's nothing mate," Chase patted his shoulder, and they headed to the jeep.

* * *

The Fossil Fun Day was in full swing at the park as everyone helped out. While Tyler handed out buckets, spades and hats, Chase and Riley handled the food, and Koda was helping a few kids carry massive bones across the park.

"Wow, that's an interesting find!" Arianna smiled to a little girl who held up the bone she'd just found.

"T-Rex!" the little girl declared, and Arianna continued talking to her as Ari leaned against a tree, watching it take place.

"Honest opinion. How do you think they're holding up?" Spencer asked as he stood beside her.

"Better than some teams," Ari admitted honestly. "They have their moments, I mean they're teenagers tasked with saving the world from evil aliens. You know what that's like, and so do I," she glanced to Spencer, who snorted. He knew exactly what that was like. He still wondered sometimes how his team pulled it together to stop Grumm.

"I'm sorry we haven't been much help," he spoke softly as Teddie and Olivia ran over to stop a little girl who was pelting Kendall with sand she'd filled her hat with.

"Spence, you don't need to apologise," Ari told him softly, looking at her son. "You guys are the first response to threats not only in New Tech City, but the galaxy. That's why they're Rangers. To protect the Earth and the Energems from Sledge," she patted his shoulder, and he nodded.

"They do seem to have a handle on it," Spencer agreed. "They're lucky to have you and Morgan to help them," he commented, watching as Kendall brushed the sand from her clothes, trying not to look too stressed out. Ari followed his gaze, and smirked, but didn't say anything.

"Having Ivan join has really helped them too. Just four Energems left to find now, and we know the Aqua Energem has been found and bonded to someone," she kept on the topic at hand.

"I always thought it weird that Grandma and Grandpa joined you on the Mystic Force team. Ivan just had to one up that, huh?" Spencer asked, and Ari couldn't help but laugh.

"You know his daughter Juliet was like you?" she asked, and Spencer looked at her sharply.

"Really? So that's where it comes from," he murmured, his arms folded.

"How's your training for that going?" Ari asked him as he thought about it.

"Fine, I-" Spencer stopped as he looked up. "Oh, now this looks like it could end badly," he commented with a chuckle, and Ari looked up to see Shelby and Ivan approach the others.

"Ivan, you look fancy," Koda complimented as the other Rangers stood together.

"I know," Ivan grinned back, showing off his new clothes, including a long brown coat with gold trim. It was very familiar, and Tyler knew why.

"Looking suave my man," Chase nodded.

"T'was my lady who chose my new wardrobe," Ivan gestured to Shelby, who smiled proudly.

"Hey, isn't that my jacket?" Tyler frowned as he walked over.

"Uh oh," Teddie giggled to Olivia, who shook her head.

"Yeah, doesn't it look great?" Shelby smiled, her eyes on Ivan.

"I humbly admit, I do wear it well," Ivan shrugged.

"I don't think he knows what humble means," Olivia murmured. "Kinda like someone else we know," she glanced to Chase.

"Hey, you're not quite so modest yourself," Chase retorted.

"I'm not the one who thinks that girls like when you brag about your skating," Olivia scowled at him.

"Please don't fight," Arianna raised her hands in a plea to the pair, before Riley cleared his throat, and they moved aside to let an old lady pass.

"Uh, Ivan," Tyler smirked, a plan coming to mind. "Could you help this kind lady?" he asked. Ivan's eyes lit up.

"T'would be my honour!" Ivan declared, offering his arm. The woman smiled, taking his arm. He led her along, before pausing as they came to the mud puddle.

"Careful, she'll ruin her shoes in the mud," Tyler warned.

"Not while a Knight of Zandar stands at her side!" Ivan pulled off his new coat, and Teddie put a hand to her face. They watched as the woman stepped across his coat, before Tyler then called through the crowd of children and adults who had approached, and Ivan could only watch as his coat became more and more laden with mud. "Well played, Sir Tyler, well played indeed," Ivan cleared his throat as he met Tyler's gaze. Tyler bowed his head and strode off, flicking his cape as Ivan followed.

"What...just happened?" Shelby asked, looking to the others. They all just shrugged.

"Being a Ranger just isn't easy," Spencer laughed, and Ari nodded in agreement. They looked around as a red fog started to fill the air, along with a nasty smell that made them grimace.

"This fog is...red?" Shelby frowned as they all gathered together again, looking around.

"Anyone see where it's coming from?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, I think it's coming from the parking lot," Riley frowned, seeing the fog was much thicker by the cars.

"Check it out," Kendall told them quietly, not wanting to catch attention. Spencer followed, and Ari, Arianna and Kendall exchanged concerned looks. The Rangers moved as inconspicuously as they could, before Shelby let out a shout.

"Look, monsters!" she pointed to Wrench and the alien he was accompanied by.

"Halt scoundrels!" Ivan shouted as the two let out cries of alarm. However, more of the thick red fog began to pour from the colourful tubing on the alien's back, and he laughed.

"Smell you later!" he taunted as they vanished in the fog. Both Tyler and Ivan ran into the thick of it, and began to shout.

"Guys!" Teddie called, and coughed as she inhaled the foul smelling gas. Tyler and Ivan began to shout, seeming to be fighting the monster.

"Hey, Tyler, Ivan?" Chase shouted to the pair.

"I've got you, you menace!" Ivan declared, and with a roll of his eyes, Spencer snapped his fingers. The fog cleared, and Ivan realised he had Tyler pinned to the ground, his arm twisted behind his back. He stood up, releasing the Red Ranger, bringing the sleeve of Tyler's jacket with him.

"Great, you ruined my jacket!" Tyler scowled.

"Well actually, it suits you rather well now," Ivan replied snidely.

"Okay, when you two can stop this rivalry you have for a moment, you might want to take a look around and see where the monsters went," Spencer rolled his eyes. They did so, and realised that both monsters were gone.

"There they are! Come on!" Riley spotted the two running into the cover of the bushes.

"Whatever happened to teamwork," Chase rolled his eyes as he brushed past the pair of bickering Rangers.

* * *

Smokescreen let out a cry as he watched Wrench fly off in the pod, leaving him behind.

"Being a leader is so lonely..." he sighed, turning around. He let out a cry when he saw the Rangers standing behind him.

"Halt, toad-wart!" Ivan declared, knocking Tyler out of the way. "Running from us will not be your salvation," he warned.

"Whatever that means," Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Mind if I join you for this one?" Spencer asked, glancing to the others.

"Sure, we could use the help considering," Riley rolled his eyes. Spencer grinned, grabbing his Morpher hooked onto his belt.

"It's Morph-"

"Put a little bit of pizazz into it Sir Tyler!" Ivan cut off Tyler off, and Chase lowered his Charger with a sigh. Hearing a beep, Shelby quickly grabbed her communicator.

' _Did you find anything_?' Kendall asked.

"Uh, everything's under control, Ms. Morgan," Shelby smiled at her. Both Spencer and Chase snorted.

"Okay, morons back. Chase," Spencer called to his brother, who nodded.

"It's Morphin' Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!" the others called as they raised theirs. Tyler and Ivan shot each other dirty looks as they followed suit.

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" Spencer Morphed into his gold and black suit, his arms folded.

"This what you wanted?" Tyler challenged Smokescreen.

"One against... _nine_?!" the alien cried out in horror.

"Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Pterodactyl, Power Ranger Gold!"

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"Vivix!" Smokescreen yelled, calling on the footsoldiers who burst into view. "Attack!" he ordered, and the Rangers ran to meet them. "Two Gold Rangers?!" he demanded as he blocked Spencer's punch.

"Different team. Sorry dude," Spencer replied, flipping backwards and grabbing his sword. "Just here helping out," he then found himself surrounded by Vivix, and Tyler took over fighting the monster as Spencer gave a small laugh. "It's been a while since I've fought more than common criminals," he mused, and a golden aura surrounded him. "Call to the beast inside! Let loose the bull!" he released his Animal Spirit, who rose from the young man's form with a bellow.

"Whoa," Olivia gasped as she saw the bull send Vivix flying in all directions. "That's so cool!" she couldn't help but laugh as the bull was unrivalled by them. Glancing over, Chase rolled his eyes.

"Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Kiwi!" his own black and gold cloaked bird spirit jumped from Chase and attacked each of the Vivix around him. It jumped from one to the other, throwing them back.

"Ohh, someone's jealous," Teddie sang as she danced past him. Chase felt his face warm, and he shot Teddie a glare she couldn't see.

"Don't be ridiculous," he bit, and Teddie laughed as a while and green aura began to swirl around her. She spun in moves that almost seemed like dancing, dodging the Vivix around her.

"Call to the beast inside! Uncage the Nightingale!" Teddie called on her own as well, and the two birds moved in perfect unison, with Chase's Kiwi jumping through the air as Teddie's Nightingale flew around him. They cut through each of the Vivix, while Chase used his blaster and Teddie used her sabre to cut through any left over.

"Okay, I wanna be able to do that," Shelby complained as she saw the birds.

"Me too," Olivia sighed. Spencer glanced around to see Ivan and Tyler finally working together to take down Smokescreen, before tossing him through the air.

"Let's finish him as a team!" Tyler called as they lined up. As the Dino Rangers each attacked Smokescreen, making him cry out as each hit landed, Spencer suddenly staggered, putting a hand to his helmet.

* * *

 _Wrench and Smokescreen peered out at the Rangers as they stood outside the museum, distracted by Ivan's grand arrival on horseback, clad in shining armour._

" _Go plant the bomb," Wrench ordered the alien who carried a large round bomb in his hands._

" _First, let me fart out some fog!" Smokescreen decided. Wrench slapped him over the head as he went to produce the red fog, making him yelp._

" _No! They'll see us, you nitwit! I'll tell you when to fart," the robotic servant to Sledge snapped at him._

" _Hey,_ I'm _in charge! I'll fart when I want to," Smokescreen argued back, shoving the bomb back into Wrench's hands. "Now, go put this in the Red Ranger's car," he ordered._

" _Me? You go!" Wrench protested, trying to force Smokescreen to take the bomb back, but the alien turned away._

" _Come on, we don't have all day!" he reminded Wrench of their short time limit._

" _Okay, okay," the robot gave in, and sneaked over to Tyler's car, hiding it under a blanket in the back of the jeep. "Better I do it myself anyway. That idiot would only stick up the operation. This will blow up the Rangers, and everything in sight!" Wrench declared with a laugh._

* * *

"Spencer!" the Gold SPD Ranger managed to pull himself together as Teddie ran over to him. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried as he straightened up.

"It's a diversion!" the others looked around at his declaration. "There's a bomb back at the park, in your jeep!" he warned.

"What?" Tyler frowned.

"How could you know that?" Smokescreen demanded.

"I'll go back and warn Kendall and mum, you guys take this creep out," Spencer told them as he demorphed. "Better you work together for this," he fixed his glasses, and turned, streaking off in a flash of light.

"He's so cool," Olivia and Shelby chimed together. Tyler rolled his eyes.

"Let's take this creep out, and go help Spencer!" Tyler told them.

"I'm with you Red Ranger!" Ivan nodded beside him.

"Dino Charger ready!" they called on the Dino Spike as Ivan used a Dino Charger on his sabre.

"Red Ranger launch!"

"Dino Spike, Final Strike!"

"Lightning Final Strike!" the two Rangers collided with Smokescreen with their powerful finishers, and they landed lightly behind him.

"I feel a bit foggy!" Smokescreen wailed as he fell over, exploding.

"We have to stop that bomb, now!" Shelby told the others.

* * *

"You get one bone, not a whole dinosaur!" Kendall called after a boy as she saw him rush off with multiple bones, and Ari shook her head with a chuckle.

"She's really invested in this," Arianna commented, sitting beside her.

"It's as important to her as the kids," Ari nodded with a smile, but it faded as she saw Spencer appear nearby, stopping his Ninja Streak. She pushed herself up, walking over to him. "What's going on?" she asked him quietly.

"We have a problem in the back of Tyler's jeep," he whispered to her. "The Rangers are fighting off an alien at the moment, but he's planted a bomb there," Spencer warned her. Ari's eyes widened, and she glanced around to where Kendall was still struggling to keep control of the children.

"Let's take a look," she told him, and the pair jogged over to the jeep. Spencer found the round bomb under the blanket as he'd seen in his vision, and cursed as he saw the timer.

"Nowhere near enough time to evacuate the crowd," he murmured as he glanced over at the families having fun.

"Watch the language Spence," Ari warned him lightly as she studied it.

"Really? We're dealing with a bomb built with alien technology that's going to explode in less than four minutes, and you're telling me off for my language?" Spencer grumbled.

"Of course. I'm your mother. And it's not going to explode here," Ari told him confidently.

"I know that confidence as good and all, but that kinda just sounds like blind faith," Spencer sighed.

* * *

The ground shook as Smokescreen suddenly returned, growing much larger.

"We have to get bigger!" Koda declared.

"I'll pilot the Megazord and handle Smokescreen, the rest of you, help Spencer defuse that bomb," Tyler ordered quickly. They nodded, and Shelby, Teddie and Koda summoned their Zords to help Tyler out.

"Come on," Chase called, and they started running back to the park as Tyler faced off against Smokescreen.

About halfway there, Ivan stopped, looking back up to the Megazord battle. Tyler used the Compo Blade to fight off Smokescreen, and Ivan hummed.

"I have an idea," he ran off in another direction, leaving the others to return to the bomb.

* * *

"What about magic?" Spencer asked as he and Ari worked on a way to defuse the bomb.

"It's alien technology," Ari reminded him. "I have no idea if it'll work, or make things even worse. I'd need longer than we have to figure it out," she sighed. She glanced over to where Kendall had tried to stop two boys from sword-fighting with the shovels, and ended up defending herself from their attack.

"Hey!" they looked up as the other Rangers returned. "Tyler and Ivan are fighting Smokescreen, what do we do?" Teddie asked.

"First, let's move it away from the crowd. I don't know how big the explosion is going to be, but best get it away from them. Spencer, go help Kendall so nobody notices this problem," Ari told him, and Spencer frowned.

"Why me?" he complained. Ari rolled her eyes.

"You're SPD, you should know how to avoid a panic," she told him, and pushed him towards the park. "Go," Ari repeated. With a groan, Spencer hurried back over to the park.

"Careful," Shelby gulped as Riley and Ari carefully lifted the bomb from the back of the jeep. They moved away carefully, trying not to trigger the bomb early, before hearing a noise.

"Look out!" Olivia cried, and the magna beam slammed into the bomb, forcing the two to let it go as it grew to a much larger size. "Now what?" the Forest Ranger put her hands to her mouth.

"We have to evacuate," Chase shook his head, glancing to Spencer as he disarmed the two boys attacking Kendall. Sensing the problem, Spencer looked around, and his eyes widened. He then cleared his throat, lifting his Morpher.

"Attention everyone!" his voice dripped with authority, and made everyone look around. "My name's Spencer Bly, I'm with SPD," he announced, raising his Morpher to the air to show his credentials. "We've come across a problem, and I'm afraid I need you all to leave the park immediately," Spencer ordered, and the families immediately began packing up, grabbing their children and hurrying to leave. "Thank you!" he shouted as Kendall watched him, looking impressed.

"Okay," she started once the people were gone. "What is going on? I thought you had things handled?" Kendall shot Shelby a look.

"That was before we found the bomb. Which is now a little too big to hide," Teddie shrugged.

"Tyler," Chase contacted the Red Ranger. "We've got less than a minute on the clock, and the bomb is too big to move," he warned.

' _We're on our way_!' Tyler responded. Hearing a shriek, they looked up to see the Megazord, combined with the Ptera Zord, grab the bomb from the ground.

"A new Megazord combo, nice," Ari nodded, impressed.

"Where are they going?" Olivia frowned as they watched the Megazord fly off with the bomb. Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

"I think I know where they're leaving it," she pointed up to the sky. The others caught on after, and started to laugh. Before long, the Megazord flew back into view, and they waved to their friends, glad they were starting to work together.

* * *

Back at the museum, the Rangers sat in the cafe, watching as Tyler and Ivan bonded by taking pictures together, with Ivan in a new coat that Tyler had bought him to replace the one ruined by mud.

"I think I liked it better when they didn't get along," Shelby rolled her eyes.

"I just can't believe the knight who's 800 years old is taking selfies," Olivia giggled.

"Thank you, Spencer, but I believe we have all we need here," they looked around as Kendall and Spencer walked in. Spencer fixed his glasses as he watched her, and she smiled at him.

"Notice how that smile's a little warmer than what we get?" Shelby muttered to Teddie, who grinned back at her.

"Oh I've noticed it from the moment he got here," she whispered back.

"I could tell from your lab. I'm not sure if I should introduce you to Bridge or not, he'd go nuts to see your lab," Spencer chuckled. "It's amazing. I have no doubt you have the tech side of this battle covered. But if you need any help, we're just a call away," he told Kendall, offering his hand to her.

"Thank you," Kendall paused before taking it and shaking it. "Are you going now?" she asked.

"Well, Sky never told me when I had to come back, I was thinking I might take a few days to relax here," Spencer grinned at her, before his Morpher beeped, and his smile faded. "It's like he has me on surveillance constantly," he complained, lifting his Morpher. "How can I help?" he responded.

' _Spencer, why am I getting reports about a massive bomb threatening to blow up Amber Beach?'_ Sky's testy voice echoed out of the Morpher, and Spencer paused. ' _And why are you doing evacuations? Your job was literally to make sure they_ didn't _need help_ ,' Sky reminded him, and Spencer was aware of his face going red as the Rangers at the table did a poor job of hiding their laughter.

"Yes, Sir," Spencer always found it weird calling Sky Sir, but as the Commander, it was protocol. At least when on duty. "But circumstances can change and-"

' _Spencer found an opportunity to be the hero! Pay up losers_!' he scowled at Annie's cheer.

' _I knew he was gonna do it_!' Bridge added in.

' _Yeah, but we're not betting with a guy who sees the future Bridge_ ,' Z pointed out. They quietened down as Sky cleared his throat.

' _You best get back here to brief us on everything Spencer. No detours or surprise vacations_ ' Sky told him firmly. Spencer groaned and Kendall turned her head to hide her amused smile.

"Yes sir..." he ended the communication. "How we saved the world from Grumm is beyond me," he muttered to himself, and hooked his Morpher back onto his jeans. "Well, until next time then, Ms. Morgan, and like I said, call if you need anything," he shook her hand again, and both lingered for a moment before he looked away, his cheeks warming. He then glanced to the team sitting smirking at the pair. "Great job out there today guys, the planet's in good hands," Spencer told them, and they waved, calling out goodbye as the SPD Ranger walked out.

"So..." Teddie hummed, her arms folded. "Not letting him call you Kendall, either, Ms. Morgan?" she asked the scientist innocently. Kendall felt her face go warm as she saw the look the girl was giving her.

"Oh good grief," she muttered, turning on her heel and striding off, pretending like she didn't hear the laughter behind her.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	16. True Black

**So I wasn't planning on updating until I finished another chapter, but I recently got a new job and now have three days to pack to move to Dublin for 8 weeks (some of my stuff will be coming with me, the rest is going to my mum's as my lease is up at the end of this month), so I doubt I'm going to get much written until I'm settled there, as I have a lot of stuff.  
**

 **So yeah, here's a new chapter, I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 16: True Black

A wrench hurtled through the air and hit the wall with a loud clang, narrowly avoiding Chase as he tilted his head to let it pass him by.

"Are you insane?! You nearly took my head off!" he shouted to Olivia, who was glaring at him with her fierce blue eyes.

"I was aiming to, you jumped up piece of-"

"Please, Olivia," Arianna pleaded with her as she stepped between the two, her silvery blue eyes wide and pleading. "Calm down, you know fighting with Chase will not solve anything," she pleaded.

"Just leave them to it, there's no point trying to interfere," Riley rolled his eyes, turning away from them as he continued his training.

"I agree with Riley. Olivia and Chase have been fighting since they met, so there's no point in trying to stop them," Teddie was scribbling in a small notebook, speaking without looking up.

"No fight, we...friends, a team," Koda tried, trying to help stop the fight.

"I'll stop fighting when he stops being a misogynistic asshole," Olivia growled.

"And I'll stop when she stops being aggressive and picking fights every two seconds," Chase grumbled.

"How about you both stop being children?" Kendall growled, removing her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Or, if you insist on continuing, you get out and let me work in peace?" she turned to them.

"I have to agree with Ms. Morgan. You're both being idiots," Shelby called over, sitting beside Tyler and Ivan as they watched the ongoing fight. Both warring parties huffed, but chose not to continue.

"Honestly Chase," the Black Ranger looked up when his twin sister sidled up beside him, slipping her notebook back into her messenger bag. "You didn't even get this annoyed with Riley," she commented, watching as Olivia spoke with Ivan, who smiled back at her.

"Ted, I'm going to warn you in advance," Chase's voice was low as he worked on his skateboard, oblivious to Kendall's irritated looks. "Don't go there," Teddie's grin widened as Chase warned his sister.

"Chase, seriously dude. You've never refused to admit that you think a girl is cute or that you're into her. Why is Oli any different?" Teddie pressed. Chase gave a frustrated huff.

"Because I don't like her. She's opinionated, a bigger pest than you, and she takes every opportunity to get in a snide comment when she can," he told her firmly. Teddie tilted her head.

"Maybe that's her way of showing that she likes you too. I think she's jealous of the girls you flirt with. Which, have been few and far between lately," she pointed out. "Plus, since she started staying with us, you've been less harsh back to her," Teddie accused.

"No, that's just you looking for what's not been there in the first place Ted," Chase growled, and Teddie pouted at him. "She's as into me as Annie and Spencer," he said flatly. Teddie couldn't help but laugh, before a golden light flew down into the base, flying straight towards the twins.

"Ah! Just who I was looking for!" they looked up, their eyes wide in shock. Everyone looked around as the orb came to a stop, and transformed into an older woman wearing a white dress and carrying a staff.

"Intruder! How did you come to enter this place?" Ivan demanded as everyone prepared to fight.

"My dear knight, you should know better than anyone that with magic, anything is possible," the Mystic Mother turned to him with a smile. Ivan hesitated, watching her suspiciously, but lowered his hands anyway. Chase and Teddie exchanged glances.

"Mystic Mother, why are you here?" Chase asked with a smile.

"You know her?" Shelby demanded.

"Yeah, she's kind of a family friend," Teddie nodded. "What's wrong? Is it the Magical Realm?" she asked worriedly, making the Mystic Mother smile.

"Not at all my sweet girl. In fact, I'm here for you," she explained.

"Me?" Teddie blinked rapidly. "Why?" she asked. The Mystic Mother's smile widened.

"To save your mother from my son of course!" she exclaimed. Teddie turned to look to Chase, who looked as baffled as she felt.

* * *

"You sure about this Ted?" Chase asked hesitantly. Teddie glanced back at him, standing in front of the Mystic Mother, and smiled at her brother.

"Sure thing. I won't be gone that long y'know," she told him.

"So let me get this straight," Riley pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to process what was going on. "This is the Mother of all good magic, who is going to send you back in time to help your mum when she lost her Overdrive powers?" he summed up.

"Yep!" Teddie nodded.

"And only she can go back?" Tyler asked, looking up at the Mystic Mother.

"My dear boy, everything happens for a reason. We cannot mess with the timeline any more than it already will be. And Teddie will be in safe hands," she told the team confidently.

"How come we never heard about Teddie fighting with this team? Our parents told us about this fight with Thrax, but never mentioned Teddie," Chase commented.

"Because I wiped the memories of everyone involved, to ensure that the timeline would remain as it should be," Mystic Mother explained.

"Yeah...still not getting it," Riley shook his head.

"My head hurt," Koda complained.

"Let's go Teddie, we can't keep the rest of your team waiting," the sorceress declared brightly, and Teddie barely had a chance to wave to her team before a grey wormhole appeared in front of her and she was practically pushed through. When it closed behind her, Mystic Mother turned and smiled to the team.

"Don't worry my dears, she'll be back before you know it!" she promised, before turning into a golden light and flying off.

"Okay, how is _any_ of that normal to you?" Shelby asked Chase.

"Trust me, not all of it is," Chase frowned, his arms folded. "This is something weird even for us," he muttered, turning and walking back to his abandoned skateboard.

* * *

The Rangers, now minus Teddie, trained in the forest, in the secluded area that Chase and Teddie always used. Each of them did their own thing, with Ivan and Riley practising their sword skills while Shelby used the punching bags hanging from a tree. Much like Tyler, who was now upside down balancing on one hand, Olivia practised her own balance that she'd honed on a surfboard. She stood on one foot on a pillar beside the treetop course, trying to maintain her focus. Glancing down, she watched as Kendall spoke with Chase, who was the only one Morphed.

"You ready?" Kendall asked him.

"Ms. Morgan, I agree training is important," Chase sounded dubious. "But you want me to fly through that concrete wall?" he repeated what she'd asked of him. Kendall's excited smile grew.

"Correct," she nodded as the others gathered around curiously. Olivia sat down on the pillar above, watching. "The Dino Armour X jaws are designed to be that tough. It works with the Black Energem power," Kendall explained her latest creation.

"Okay," Chase nodded, still uncertain. "I'll give it a shot," he agreed, believing in Kendall's ability. "Dino Armour X Charger, ready!" he activated the Charger with his Morpher, and gold spiked armour lined his arms as a new weapon appeared over his hands like a Dinosaur head. "Whoa! Extreme power!" he laughed as he felt the power fill him. "Well, here I go," he laughed nervously. "Spiral Attack!" he leapt through the air and easily broke through the wall, narrowly missing Shelby and the punching bags as he continued to fly through the air. He flew back, this time clipping the pillar Olivia was on. She let out a cry, and fell off.

"Olivia!" Koda caught her easily, and she let out a breath.

"Thanks Koda," she smiled at the caveman, before shooting Chase a glare as he demorphed by the broken wall.

"It works great Kendall!" Chase laughed. Kendall's smile faded and she arched an eyebrow at him. "I mean, Ms. Morgan," he cleared his throat and corrected himself, and Kendall then indicated to Olivia as Koda set her down.

"Maybe work on your aim," she told him irritably. Chase rolled his dark eyes.

"Maybe work on your balance," he retorted, and Olivia's own blue eyes flashed.

"Oh, I'll show you-" Koda caught the girl, restraining her easily as Chase snorted and walked away.

"I say, you and Lady Olivia have really been clashing lately," Ivan commented as he approached his descendant. Chase didn't respond, packing away his things. "Perhaps there is more to it than just a clash of personalities? I know myself and my dear Mirabelle did not always see eye to eye at first," the Gold Ranger smiled sadly at the thought of his wife.

"Ivan," Chase sighed and stood up, facing the Knight. "I've told Teddie, I've told Tyler, and I'll tell you. I don't like Olivia like that. How can I when she bites my head off for breathing?" he demanded, but Ivan just gave him a sceptical look. "I don't. Not now, not ever. I gotta go," Chase shrugged his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed his skateboard.

"Who'd have thought Chase could get so grouchy?" Shelby commented to Ivan as she stood beside him, having heard their talk.

"I believe he is worried for his sister. For her to be a completely different time than him..." Ivan trailed off, and Shelby put a hand on his arm, knowing he knew just how that felt.

"I guess. But he shouldn't talk about Olivia like that," Shelby shook her head, and the two walked off, unaware that Olivia had heard what they'd been saying.

* * *

After their training, the Rangers returned to the Dinosaur Museum, and got straight into work as the breakfast rush hit, giving them no time to relax. Ivan brought out an order for a group of girls, who giggled and watched him closely.

"You alright Oli? You've been pretty quiet since we got back," Tyler commented as he glanced to the girl washing dishes.

"Huh?" Olivia snapped out of her thoughts, and looked up at him. Tyler watched her, looking a little worried, and she smiled. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Guess training just took it outta me," she lied weakly, and turned her gaze back down to the dishes. Tyler watched her for another moment, worried, before turning to Arianna as she walked in.

"More dishes," the Mercurian spoke cheerfully. The others could never understand how she always kept her spirits up during the rushes, but she managed it. Tyler's eyes lit up, and he caught her as she went to leave.

"Something's wrong with Olivia, try talking to her," he suggested, slipping out to take her place as Arianna turned to the Forest Ranger. She didn't seem to register Arianna's presence as she scrubbed the same plate for longer than necessary.

"Um, Olivia?" the girl's head lifted sharply as Arianna touched her shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked as Olivia met her gaze. She then quickly looked away.

"Fine," she mumbled, but Arianna stopped her from resuming.

"Is this about your current living arrangements?" she asked in a much quieter voice, knowing that Olivia wanted to keep it quiet.

"No," Olivia smiled slightly, touched by Arianna's worry. The girl was kind, and wanted to help everyone. "It's-"

"It's not nothing, Olivia," the Irish girl stopped in surprise at Arianna's firmer tone. "Tell me what's bothering you, perhaps we can fix it?" Arianna suggested. Olivia gave a wry smile, shaking her head quickly.

"We can't. Trust me," she insisted, but Arianna didn't back down, and Olivia gave a sigh. "I heard Ivan and Chase talking about me, back when we were training," she admitted, looking away.

"I see. And that is what is bothering you?" Arianna asked her, her voice gentle again. Olivia didn't answer, and Arianna's eyes widened in realisation. "You do care for Chase, don't you?" she accused.

"I..." Olivia closed her eyes as her voice trembled. "I didn't at first. I really did think he was a self-obsessed jerk who went through girls like I go through surfboard wax," Arianna giggled a little. "But then...I told myself I didn't like him, but...I do," she admitted.

"And that is what troubles you? Why do you not tell him?" Arianna asked her softly, a hand on her arm.

"Because he doesn't like me! I can't help but get defensive around him, and we clash, and he hates me for it!" Olivia shook her head. "I can't..." she trailed off, before clearing her throat and forcing a smile. "I'll be okay," she lied, and turned away from Arianna so not to look at her worried expression.

"Ahh, breakfast rush done," Riley announced his relief as he walked in suddenly, carrying a pile of plates collected.

"Don't relax now. Lunch rush," Shelby ruined his moment when she brought in a crate more of plates to be washed. "Chase! You're late!" she snapped as Chase walked in. Olivia stiffened, but didn't look up from the dishes she was washing.

"Sorry, there was this cute skateboarder on my way in, got talking to her," he shrugged. Olivia turned and walked straight out the door without a word, making him arch an eyebrow.

"What have you done now?" Riley asked the Black Ranger irritably. Tyler glanced to Arianna, who looked worriedly back at him.

"What? Nothing! Why do you assume it's my fault?" Chase complained.

"Because it always is when it comes to Olivia. The rest of us get on fine with her," Shelby pointed out, and Chase scowled, becoming even more defensive.

"I've not even seen her since training, how could it be my fault?" he demanded.

"You did knock her off that pillar, remember? You didn't even apologise to her. She's the only one you give a hard time to," Tyler accused him. Chase rolled his eyes, but before he could defend himself any farther, Tyler's communicator beeped.

' _Alien bio-signs, everyone head out_ ,' Kendall ordered as Ivan joined them as well.

"Got it," Tyler nodded. They quickly moved out, leaving Arianna to tend to the kitchen, with Ivan stuck behind as a customer started making more orders.

* * *

"These are definitely the co-ordinates Ms. Morgan gave us," Riley spoke as he double-checked the coordinates. The Rangers looked through the forest, not too far from their training site.

"I bet Sledge found our training area," Tyler frowned as they scanned their surroundings. "Koda? Chase? Anyone around?" he asked the two with the best senses on the team.

"Not sure..." Koda admitted, and Chase looked around with a frustrated sigh.

"Teddie's better with this stuff. She's in tune with the Earth, I can't tell if anyone else is here," he told them.

"Oh look!" Koda suddenly ran ahead. "It my lucky day!" he declared as he lifted a large golden coin from the ground. He then gasped. "Another!" Koda began lifting coins that were scattered all over the ground

"Who would have left these here?" Shelby turned to Tyler.

"It's so shiny!" Koda laughed as he held up a handful of coins that were glowing. Chase and Tyler looked at each other as they realised what was happening, and launched themselves at Koda.

"Take cover!" Chase yelled as Tyler knocked the coins out of the caveman's hands, and Chase tackled him to the ground. The coins exploded midair, blocked from hitting them by Chase's shield. "Tackling you is like hitting a brick wall mate," he complained to Koda, his body smarting. They got up quickly as they heard laughter, and regrouped.

"Time for a little payback, Rangers!" Poisandra declared, standing with Curio, Wrench, and a monster that looked like a treasure chest.

"And I've got money to burn!" Gold Digger cackled, throwing the coins at the Rangers. Chase brought up another shield to protect them, but the explosion shattered the shimmering light in one go, making him stumble backwards. "Your Energems will soon be mine!" he declared.

"It's Morphin' Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed and leapt through their air, their weapons drawn.

"This guy looks like a museum threw up," Tyler commented.

"Gross," Olivia arched an eyebrow.

"You can't talk, you box of crayons!" Gold Digger yelled as he fought them, before Wrench rushed at them with his axe.

"Mind if I cut in?" he called, and knocked Olivia aside with a cry. "Let me show you how it's done!" Wrench shoved the monster aside and he fell over.

"My chest!" the monster wailed as Wrench fought Tyler.

"Don't let that tin can push you around, Gold Digger!" Poisandra scolded as she and Curio approached. The rest of the Rangers pushed themselves up. "Get back in there and fight!" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" Gold Digger ran off and they followed him, leaving Wrench to fight Tyler and Ivan as the Gold Ranger joined him. "You're in luck! Let me spread the wealth!" Gold Digger threw more coins at them, but they veered into the sky instead of hitting them directly.

"Heads up!" Chase yelled as they were forced to keep moving to avoid the exploding coins all around them.

"Your luck's run out, money bags!" Riley shouted as he managed to break free of the explosions and rushed the monster. Gold Digger just laughed, and the stone slab on his front began to glow. He summoned a slab to block Riley's attack, taking the Ranger by surprise.

"His slab is like steel!" Riley growled, bombarding the monster with slashes. "We need extra power!" he shouted to the others.

"Dino Steel, Armour On! Scelido-Spear!" Olivia leapt over Riley as he was tossed to the ground, and lashed out at Gold Digger.

"Stone Slab, block!" Gold Digger laughed as he blocked Olivia's attack easily and threw her to the ground.

"Olivia! You okay?" Koda ran over to help her up.

"I'll have to tell Wrench about this!" Gold Digger shouted, rushing off.

"He's getting away!" Chase shouted, running after the monster. The others got up and followed too, back into the cover of the trees. They reached Wrench, who had knocked both Tyler and Ivan to the ground.

"Wrench! I know how to defeat the Rangers!" Gold Digger shouted as he ran over to the robot.

"Then why aren't they destroyed?!" Wrench pointed out in irritation.

"I'll crush them with my stone slabs!" Gold Digger announced.

"You better, or Sledge will crush _you_!" Wrench warned him, and shoving him back towards the Rangers as they helped Ivan and Tyler back to their feet.

"Stone slab, multiply!" Gold Digger tossed the slab into the air, and they began to grow and multiply. The Rangers cried out as they were forced to dodge the slabs that slammed to the ground and made it tremor from the force.

"No way," Tyler gulped.

"This is crazy," Olivia gulped

"Hold still!" Gold Digger snapped. "You can't escape my slabs forever!" he told them.

"Don't worry guys, I can break through his slab with the Dino Armour X jaws," Chase reminded them as he got back to his feet and lifted his new Dino Charger. "Dino Charger ready!" he slipped it into his blaster and activated it.

"Armour X, ready!" Spiral Attack!" Chase aimed the blaster at the two, but when he activated it, the blast seemed to explode out, and Chase couldn't control it. "What's wrong? It's outta control!" he yelled as he was blasted off his feet. He landed on his back, and the Dino Charger rolled away.

"Pathetic!" Gold Digger mocked. "Stone slab, multiply!" he called on more slabs to rain down on the Rangers, before one landed on Tyler, Ivan and Olivia.

"It's so heavy!" Tyler struggled even with his super strength. "We're going down!" he grunted as more slabs landed on top of him, and he felt his strength weakening. "I can't...hold this!" the ground suddenly gave way beneath them, and they vanished with cries.

"Guys!" Shelby cried out in horror.

"I'll crush you into the ground like the others!" more appeared above them, and the remaining Rangers got to their feet quickly.

"Run!" Chase yelled, and he, Koda, Riley and Shelby sprinted off away from the slabs.

"I think we're outta range," Riley called after they had been running for a while. Their communicators beeped, and Chase answered quickly.

"Olivia, Tyler, Ivan, are you okay?" he asked, worried as Tyler's face crackled into view. He coughed violently, his face streaked with dirt.

"The slab pushed us deep underground, there's a pocket of air but it's not gonna last long," Tyler managed to say between coughs.

"We're getting help," Chase told him, and ended the communication, and they ran back to base as Tyler, Olivia and Ivan pushed against the slabs.

"It's too heavy," Olivia slumped to the ground as it didn't budge. "We're trapped," she whimpered.

"Have faith my lady, the others will rescue us," Ivan told her gently as he put a hand on her shoulder.

* * *

"Okay, what's happening?" Ari asked as she walked in, skateboard over her shoulder.

"I'm looking to find out why the Armour X didn't work now," Kendall spoke quickly as she worked with her machine. "It's the best hope to get through those slabs," she said.

"Of all the days to be a Ranger down. Typical," Ari murmured. "She'll be back soon. The Overdrive team were only without their powers for a few days," she told the team as they exchanged worried looks.

"How did you know?" Shelby asked, and Ari chuckled.

"I've been waiting for this point since I first saw Teddie Morph. I may not have my memories, but I have this," she pulled a newspaper clipping out of her pocket. It was worn and clearly dated, and the Rangers' eyes widened as they saw a familiar suit alongside several other Rangers. "But that's not important right now. You need to get Tyler, Ivan and Olivia out of there before it's too late," she turned to Chase, who was pacing frantically.

"We need to hurry! I _know_ I can save them if the Dino Armour X Charger works," Chase turned to Kendall as she pulled the Charger out of the machine.

"There's nothing wrong with it," she told him, taking the Black Ranger by surprise as she handed it back to him.

"What? Something's definitely wrong with it," Chase argued.

"It worked when you tested it, and the transmuter says it works now," Kendall shook her head, confident in her findings. "Somehow the problem is with you," she told him with a shrug.

"You think _I'm_ the problem?!" Chase demanded, becoming defensive as he stared at Kendall. She sighed, turning to the others.

"Riley, Koda, Shelby, it's a long shot, but if it won't work with Black energy, maybe it'll work with yours," she suggested, handing out the Chargers to them. Chase stared at the machine, at a loss. He then turned and walked away, before shaking his head.

"There's no way this is my fault!" he argued.

"The Black Energem bonded with you, not just for your bravery, but for your heart too," Chase glanced around at Keeper as he approached. Chase frowned.

"Come again?" he asked, not understanding.

"If your energy has been disrupted by doing something not true to your heart, the Dino Charger may not work," Keeper clarified for him.

"You think I did something wrong?" his voice was softer as he looked to Keeper for guidance. He had no idea what it was.

"Chase..." Arianna approached him and touched his arm with a worried expression. "You're not being true to yourself," she told him, making his frown grow deeper.

"How..." his Dino Com started to beep, and he lifted it. Olivia coughed, choking on the dust as her image flickered into view.

"Guys, I think...our air...it's getting low," Olivia told them. The computer then beeped loudly, and they looked around quickly.

"Their oxygen levels are near critical," Kendall shook her head as she saw the warnings. "We're out of time. I don't know if these will work without Black energy, but it's our only chance," she held the Chargers out to the three, and they nodded, running off.

"She thinks you hate her!" Chase was stopped from following at Arianna's confession. He spun around, staring at her with wide eyes. "She heard you and Ivan talking during training. She thinks you hate her. She doesn't...she doesn't..." Arianna hesitated, and met his gaze. Chase stared at her, before turning and following the others out. Arianna put her hands to her mouth, hoping she'd done the right thing.

* * *

"I'll cover you while you try your Dino Armour X Chargers," Chase told the others, his Para-Chopper ready as he led the way back to battle.

"Okay," Koda nodded, and they stopped as they found the hole blocked by Gold Digger and Wrench.

"Here to free your friends, Rangers?" Wrench taunted, his axe raised.

"Don't hold your breath!" Gold Digger laughed, and the two ran at the Rangers.

"I'll keep them off you!" Chase ran to give the three a chance.

"Let's hope it works with our energy," Riley said to the other two.

"It has to, we don't have any other options," Shelby pointed out.

"Dino Chargers, ready!" they called on the Dino Armour X, but it was too powerful, and they were blasted to the ground.

"It only works with the Black energy," Shelby groaned as Chase was tossed to the ground. "Chase, you need to do this," she pleaded with him as she ran to help him up.

"We take monsters!" Koda yelled, and he and Riley ran off to fight Wrench and Gold Digger.

"Chase, please, it's up to you, you have to save Tyler and the others," Shelby pleaded with him, before racing off to help the other two.

"I have to figure this out," Chase put a hand to his head, panicking. His Dino Comm went off, and he grabbed it quickly.

"We're running...running out..." Olivia's eyes were barely open as she made one last plea.

"No! Hang on!" Chase pleaded, horror settling into his stomach. "Keeper said I had done something to disrupt my energy..." he murmured. "Arianna...said I'm not being true to myself," he muttered, and his fist clenched tightly. "Dammit. Olivia, I don't hate you!" he shouted, and her brow furrowed.

"What?" she asked weakly, managing to open her eyes to look at him.

"I _don't_ hate you. You just manage to rile me up. I...dammit Olivia, I _like_ you, a lot," Chase admitted desperately. "I just couldn't admit it, not to myself or anyone else. I was scared," he told her.

"You...idiot," Olivia sighed, her eyes closed again. "Me...too..." she murmured, before her head dropped and the Dino Comm clattered to the ground before the link ended.

"Olivia! Dammit," Chase clamped his eyes shut. "I _will_ save you," he vowed as he returned his comm to his belt. "Dino Armour X is their only chance..." he muttered, grabbing his Charger. "Please work," he pleaded, partly to the Charger, and partly to himself. "Dino Charger, ready!" he shouted as he slipped it into the blaster. He activated it, and the orange jaws appeared over his hands as the gold armour lined his arms. "It worked!" Chase laughed in disbelief.

"You're never getting past me, Black Ranger!" Wrench warned him as Shelby, Koda and Riley hit the ground. He hurled his axe at Chase, who deflected it with the back of his hand. "What?!" the robot shrieked as the axe embedded in the ground. "Gold Digger! Get over here!" he wailed.

"Nothing's stopping me! Spiral Attack!" Chase flew through the air and slammed into Gold Digger as the monster blocked his path. Gold Digger cried out, tossed aside as Chase landed behind them. "I've gotta save Oli, Ivan and Tyler. Spiral Drill!" dust and dirt kicked up around Chase, and when it cleared, he was gone.

"He's dug right through your slabs!" Wrench yelled furiously.

"Chase?" Koda gaped.

"It worked!" Riley laughed, and after a moment, Chase leapt back out with Olivia in his arms. He then snapped his fingers, and Ivan and Tyler yelled as they were pulled out by their jackets, held by magic Chase used.

"They alright!" Koda smiled as Shelby ran over to Tyler, checking he was alright.

"Olivia...I'm sorry," Chase apologised as he demorphed.

"You don't need to apologise, you idiot," Olivia grumbled, inhaling as much fresh air as she could.

"But I was an idiot, I shouldn't have-" he stopped as her hand touched his face, and he leaned down as she pushed up to kiss him softly. Nearby, Riley whistled, turning away as Koda giggled.

"Urgh, finally," Shelby shook her head in exasperation. The others nodded in agreement.

"I told you that you don't need to apologise," Olivia muttered as she drew back, her face flushed as he grinned at her, his own cheeks warm.

"Okay, I won't," he nodded.

"Good."

"Fine," the two couldn't stop their grins despite their words, before Chase cleared his throat. "Are you guys able to fight?" he asked, glancing to Tyler and Ivan as well.

"Of course," Tyler nodded, and they pushed themselves back to their feet as they caught their breaths.

"They got out!" Wrench wailed. "More slabs!" he ordered Gold Digger, who groaned, unable to get up.

"You make it sound easy," the monster whined as he was yanked to his feet.

"Haven't you learned your lesson?" Chase called over, making the two yelp in fear. "It's Morphin' Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" he, Tyler, Ivan and Olivia Morphed, and they stood together above Gold Digger.

"This time, I'll bury you!" Gold Digger declared, yelling up at them.

"Not if we bury you first!" Tyler replied confidently. "Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Pterodactyl, Power Ranger Gold!"

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"You'll wish you had stayed underground!" Wrench yelled at them, and Vivix gathered, running at the Rangers.

"Scelido-Spear!" spinning her spear around her, Olivia jabbed at the Vivix around her, slamming the pole against Vivix and shoving them into each other. Raising her blaster, she then shot them down as they all tumbled together. She then looked around to see Chase break through Gold Digger's slab, but the monster got back up with a laugh.

"That was only one slab!" Gold Digger reminded him.

"Guys, he's gonna multiply!" Chase warned. "Tyler, the Dino Spike!" he said to the Red Ranger, who nodded.

"You got it! Dino Charger, ready! Weapons combine!" Tyler activated the powerful weapon as Chase summoned Teddie's weapon as well, having been given the Charger before the girl left.

"Red Ranger launch!"

"Dino Spike, Final Strike!"

"Spiral Attack!" Tyler and Chase slammed into Gold Digger, destroying him. A moment later, the magna beam hit him, and he reformed, growing much larger. "Guys, our problem just multiplied!" Chase called.

"Dino Charger, ready!" Tyler summoned the Megazord, and Ivan called on his Ptera Zord.

"Prepare to be crushed! Stone slab, multiply!" the Rangers cried out as a stone slab landed over them, and pressed them into the ground.

"It's too heavy! We're sinking!" Tyler yelled. Gold Digger laughed, before hearing the shriek of the Ptera Zord.

"What's that? Another Zord?" Gold Digger spotted the Zord flying towards them. "I'll bury them together!" he dropped more slabs down, and the Ptera Zord shrieked before disappearing with the Megazord. "I win! I'll treasure this victory forever!" he laughed, but was blasted from the air.

"Surprise! The Ptera Zord saved us just in time!" Tyler yelled.

"We tricked him!" Shelby laughed, before they combined their Zords together and flew through the air.

"Compo Sabre, Lightning Charge!" the Rangers yelled as the Megazord soared towards the monster. "Final Strike!" the swung the white blade down.

"I can't dig my way out of this one!" Gold Digger wailed.

"Now that's a buried treasure! Monster extinct!" Tyler declared with a laugh.

* * *

Sitting out in the garden, Chase looked up at the night sky. He knew he should be asleep after such a long day, but he was wired, too alert to sleep. He fidgeted, making lights glow in his hands without looking.

"How do you do that?" he jumped, looking around with wide eyes. "I caught a Ninja off guard? Either I'm great, or you suck. Actually, I think both," Olivia smirked as she sat down.

"Please, I'm awesome," Chase scoffed, and leaned over, taking her hands. "Take a breath," he told her gently, and she looked down at their hands. "There's only one instruction. To use magic, you just have to believe in magic," Olivia nodded, and inhaled softly.

"I believe in magic," she murmured, and her eyes widened as she felt power flow through her, concentrated in her hands, before water exploded up from the ground in front of them, and splashed both her and Chase. He coughed, having caught it in the face, before the two started to laugh. "I did it," she smiled with a childish awe, looking at her hands. "But why water?" she asked, looking up at Chase.

"Everyone has an affinity to a certain element. Me, being a shining beacon of perfect," Olivia rolled her eyes. "Am a Sun user. So's mum and Spencer. Dad and Teddie share the Earth element. And you're a water user," Chase explained, letting her hands go as he realised he was still holding onto them. "About what happened out there-"

"You're not going to apologise again are you? It doesn't suit you to be begging for forgiveness," Olivia rolled her eyes again, and he shot her a scowl before shaking his head.

"I wasn't going to," he told her. "I meant about what I said, when you..." he trailed off, and stiffened when Olivia took his hand again. She felt cooler this time, and Chase wasn't sure if it was because she'd unlocked her magical potential, or if he was getting warmer.

"Chase, I like you. That's why I kissed you," Olivia met his gaze purposefully, and Chase found himself getting very nervous around her all of a sudden.

"M-me too-I mean I-" Chase groaned and put a hand to his face. "I like you too," he finally managed to say. He was frustrated at himself. He never had this sort of trouble before.

"So uh...now what?" Olivia tilted her head. Looking at her, Chase reached out and touched her face, leaning in to kiss her again. Her fingers brushed his arm as she leaned into it, before they separated, and Olivia blushed.

"Go out with me," he murmured, and she nodded.

"Of course, idiot," she smiled, making him grin. Chase leaned in to kiss her again, before they heard someone clear their throat and they froze.

"As sweet as all of this is," Xander leaned on the door frame, looking sleepy. "It is after 1 in the morning. Get some sleep," he ordered the pair, who got to their feet quickly. "And maybe change into dry clothes," they looked down, realising they were soaked. "Go on," the Mystic indicated, and they quickly rushed inside.

"I'd tell you to pay up," Ari approached Xander with an amused, but equally tired smile. "But I'd stopped scamming you with bets a long time again," she teased him. He pulled her close, making her giggle.

"Good. But next time, I'll win," he promised her. Ari smiled back up at him, pushing up to kiss him softly.

"Sure you will," she whispered against his mouth before he pulled her completely against him, not letting her end the kiss. They broke apart only when they heard someone clear their throat, and looked around.

"It is almost 2 in the morning. Bed," Ivan instructed the pair, his hair tousled from sleep. He then turned on his heel and marched straight back to bed as Ari rolled her eyes.

"Dude, he looks about the same age as Spencer, but he acts exactly like my dad," she complained.

"Which one?" Xander asked her with a grin as he took her hand and led her back up to bed.

"Both of them," Ari grumbled, making him chuckle.

* * *

 **So yeah...that happened.**

 **Fact for the chapter: I first came up with the idea for this series when I finished writing Mystic Force: Dark as the Night, as Mystic Force is one of my favourite seasons, and I wanted to write something with a lot closer a connection to it. So after several days of writing ideas in an old notebook and avoiding writing my dissertation (coincedentally on witchcraft), Ari was born.**

 **Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Please review!**


	17. Rise of a Ranger

**I wasn't going to update until I finished another chapter, but I couldn't resist.**

 **Also, I can't believe this story has already hit 100 reviews! You guys really are amazing, thank you all, you keep me going when my motivation starts to run low. I hope you continue to enjoy it!**

 **This was one of the chapters I was most excited to write, and I hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 17: Rise of a Ranger

Olivia wasn't sure if it was her mood, or her recently awakened magic – she had _magic_ now, what the hell was her life becoming? - but she had never felt more comfortable with the waves as she surfed the morning away.

She'd still not heard any word from her dad, but she had found she didn't care any more. Ari had offered to locate him – with means that Olivia wasn't sure she wanted to know about – but she'd refused. If her dad didn't want to be found, then fine. She wasn't going to let it wreck her life. She wasn't even that surprised that her father had run into trouble with the cartels. He'd always had problems with that sort of thing, she hadn't been optimistic that things would change when they'd moved to Amber Beach.

Finally she swam back to shore, jogging along the beach as the water dripped from her, and with a bark, Nerida ran over to her.

"You're not bad out there," Chase commented from where he was relaxing in the shade.

"Not bad? I could blow you out of the water any time," Olivia bit back, rolling her eyes as he tossed her a towel. "You didn't need to hang about here for me, y'know," she commented as she dried herself off, only for Nerida to bark again and shake her body, splashing the pair with water droplets.

"I know, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to relax," Chase smirked, and Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Plus my training partner is still 20 years in the past," he added, making her smile in amusement.

"True. But you can always train with the rest of us," Olivia pointed out.

"Yeah, that sounds like a fair fight," Chase snorted as Olivia pulled her green shirt on and buttoned it up. She frowned at him.

"You're so cocky. I could beat you," she told him confidently, and Chase smirked at her.

"Sure," he laughed. Olivia suddenly threw a punch, and Chase moved around it, catching her wrist. "Oh, that's playing dirty," he grinned, pushing her back and falling into a fighting stance.

"Cause Sledge's creeps are really gonna play nice," Olivia retorted, kicking out at Chase, but he blocked it and clipped her with a punch. In his mind, he was trying to ignore the part that was telling him to hold back. Since becoming a Ranger, Teddie was the only one he trained with and used the full extent of his abilities. He would have used the Dino powers he inherited to fight Tyler after the Red Ranger's super strength and invisibility were revealed, but even then he held back.

Chase flipped back to avoid Olivia's next kick, and kicked back, but she dodged it. A surge of power then ran through the Forest Ranger as Chase rushed her, and she raised her hands. Sensing magic fill the air, Chase looked around just in time for a jet of ocean water to hit him, tossing him through the air.

"Chase!" Olivia gasped, and the water splashed to the ground harmlessly, leaving the Black Ranger soaked and coughing up salt water. "I'm so sorry, I don't know how I did that!" she apologised.

"Gross," he complained as she knelt beside him. "Well, guess you'll have to get some training, eh?" Chase then grinned up at Olivia, who blinked in surprise. "Come on, you think that's the first time someone's uncontrolled magic tossed me like a salad?" he chuckled, getting to his feet.

"What, you're _not_ perfect?" Olivia stood up as well, and Chase scoffed.

"Nobody's perfect, but I'm as close as you'll get," he winked, and Olivia rolled her eyes. She blushed as he suddenly pulled her close, and kissed her lightly. "Urgh, salty," he complained as he pulled away, making her giggle. He then snapped his fingers, and Olivia looked at her clothes as they were suddenly dried. "Perks of sun magic," Chase winked at her as he let her go.

"You're such a show off," Olivia tried not to seem impressed by his abilities. Chase just smiled, knowing she was, before their Dino Comms went off. "What's up?" Olivia answered, grabbing hers from her bag.

' _Ivan's run into Fury_ ,' Tyler alerted the pair, who exchanged looks.

"We're on our way," Olivia told him.

"So much for a morning off," Chase complained.

"What about Nerida?" Olivia looked to the dog, who was sniffing her curiously, unable to understand how she was suddenly dry.

"I'll take her back with your board, and meet you there," Chase told her. Olivia nodded, and took off to the fight.

* * *

Ivan and Fury tumbled to the ground, having fallen from a rooftop above, as the Rangers ran to their friend's side.

"Ivan! We've got you covered!" Tyler called as he pushed himself up.

"Thank you, my faithful friends," the Knight nodded appreciatively as they helped him to his feet. "Let's finish this once and for all!" he told them.

"Vivix! Rise!" Fury called on the footsoldiers, ordering them to attack, and a battle broke out.

" _Attack Vivix_ ," they glanced around to see a white robot approach, engaging with the Vivix.

"What is that thing?" Tyler frowned.

"A robot? What the hell?" Olivia asked as she ducked under a punch and shoved the Vivix back.

"It trying to help us!" Koda realised as Vivix grabbed him round the waist, trying and failing to shove the caveman back. The robot was then pushed over, and Riley cried out as it fell on him.

" _Error_ ," the Robot struggled, and Tyler pulled it easily off the Green Ranger.

"Well it's not doing a very good job, is it?" Riley grumbled as he got back to his feet.

"Leave it and get Fury!" Tyler told him, kicking one attacker away. "You too Shelby," he glanced to the Pink Ranger, who nodded.

"Vivix! Get that robot!" Fury snarled as most of the Rangers focused on him. The robot fell over, easily outmatched by the footsoldiers. Olivia rolled her eyes and punched one away from it.

"That's just sad," she commented, moving to dodge an attack.

"I can't fight all of you! Vivix attack!" Fury called on more Vivix to cover his escape, and as he ran off, the Rangers finished them off.

"Fury's gone!" Tyler groaned.

" _Oh my, that didn't go as planned, did it_?" they looked up as a golden light flew down towards them. " _Though, he'll be back_ ," the light then flashed, and the Mystic Mother stood beside them with a smile. "They always are. Speaking from experience, the bad guys are stubborn in that way," she laughed.

"It's you again," Olivia tilted her head as they demorphed.

"I believe that it's about time you were a full team again," Mystic Mother smiled. "Your sister should have fulfilled the mission to defeat my son and protect the jewels of the Corona Aurora from the Evil Alliance," she waved her hand, and a grey swirling wormhole opened up.

"I'll go get her and be back in no time," Chase told them confidently. "Pun unintended," he added as the others groaned.

"Awesome," Tyler smiled, but there was sadness in it. He'd desperately wanted to go back and see his dad, but he knew the timeline couldn't be messed with.

"Be careful hotshot," Riley grinned.

"Me? Always," Chase waved it off, disappearing through the wormhole. It vanished, and with a chuckle, the Mystic Mother vanished too.

"So uh, what do we do with that thing?" Olivia indicated to the robot.

" _Error_ ," it repeated over and over again as smoke poured from the pack on its back, and it began to walk into the wall.

"What's with this thing?" Shelby frowned.

"And where did it come from?" Tyler asked as they gathered around it. Hearing footsteps, they looked around quickly, and their eyes widened.

"Prince Philip?"

"Your highness!" Shelby and Tyler gulped, hoping that he'd gotten over the time they'd impersonated him. "What are you doing here?" the Pink Ranger asked.

"I came to speak with Miss. Arianna, and when I saw you were in trouble, I decided to lend a hand," he smiled, holding a remote controller in his hands. "With my robot," he announced.

"This fighting machine...is you-yours?" Koda frowned as the robot suddenly turned and walked off.

"It fought well, did it not?" Philip asked excitedly.

"Uh..."

"T'was uh..." Ivan hesitated. "Not that helpful," he admitted. Philip's smile faded.

"A machine just can't react the same way a human Ranger can," Tyler explained as Shelby looked away awkwardly.

"To be honest, it might have gotten in our way a little," Olivia added, glancing to Riley, before they looked around.

"The robot!" Riley shouted as they saw Vivix carry away the robot. The group ran after them, but as they turned a corner, they found that they were gone.

"They slipped through our fingers!" Ivan growled.

"They can't run it without the remote," Philip told them, holding up the remote.

"I hope you're right," Tyler glanced to him, worried. "Fury can be pretty clever," he stated, and Philip looked away guiltily, knowing he might have only made things worse.

* * *

"Two Bronco Burgers, an extra side of fries, and an extra side of pickles, as requested," Arianna smiled as she set the meal down for the couple at the table, before taking plates off another two tables, balancing them easily.

"Excuse me, can we pay?" one girl called.

"One moment!" Arianna smiled back at her, going into the kitchen and dropping off the plates before going out. She stopped as everyone in the cafe suddenly turned and began whispering in awe as Prince Philip walked in, escorted by a man in a suit, and Tyler with them.

"Hey 'Anna, I'll take over," he offered a tired smile, and she tilted her head.

"Miss. Arianna," Philip bowed his head respectfully to her.

"Your highness, what brings you here?" Arianna smiled warmly at him as Tyler took the bill over to the customers, who didn't even notice.

"I was wondering if I may have a word with you in private?" he asked her, taking her by surprise.

"Oh, um, sure," Arianna nodded. Philip glanced to his escort, who shot him a worried look, before moving off as Arianna led Philip out of the café and off to a quieter place with less eyes. "What is it?" she asked as they took a seat on a bench.

"I have found myself curious, about your friends," Philip told her, and Arianna tilted her head. "The Energems, how do they work?" he asked.

"Their Energems? Why do you ask me about that?" the Mercurian asked curiously, before looking up as a girl approached with excitement. Philip's escort rushed over, but Philip raised his hand to stop him.

"Can I have your autograph?" she asked him, holding out a photo of the Prince.

"Of course. Anything for a fan," he smiled, signing the photo and returning it to her.

"You are _so_ cute," the girl breathed as she was guided away, and Arianna gave a small laugh.

"No offence your highness, but..." Arianna returned to the subject at hand. "Why are you asking me? Surely the Rangers themselves can offer you more of an explanation," she pointed out.

"You saved my life before, Miss. Arianna, and your words have stuck with me. I believed you would be the best to speak with about this," Philip told her, and Arianna glanced away, her cheeks flushing at his words.

"I...I don't know much about the Energems," she admitted. "Though, they seem to have a sentience to them. They bond to someone they believe to have a good heart, and share their power with them. The Rangers have bonded with their Energems, that's why they can Morph," Arianna explained, and Philip nodded.

"I see, so not just anyone can use them," he considered.

"No. They have to prove themselves," Arianna told him. Philip frowned, confused.

"How does one prove that to a gem?" he asked her. Arianna shrugged with a small laugh.

"Honestly, I have no clue. I don't think any of the Rangers really know either," she told him, and he glanced away. "All I know is, a Ranger must be worthy," Arianna smiled.

"A Ranger must be worthy..." Philip repeated, his eyes lighting up. "Thank you, Miss. Arianna, you have once again, been most helpful," he stood and bowed to her. Arianna's eyes widened and she raised her hands.

"Not at all. You entrusted the Gold Energem to Ivan even though it was important to you. We owe you," she smiled, and Philip nodded, turning and walking off. As he went to turn a corner, he narrowly avoided bumping into Ari.

"Oh, pardon me," he apologised, rejoining his escort and walking off as Ari watched with an arched eyebrow. She then approached Arianna, who was looking in the direction the Prince had gone.

"What's he doing back?" she asked the girl.

"He was curious about the Energems," Arianna explained, and Ari tilted her head. "He wanted to know how they work," she told her guardian, who glanced back with an arched eyebrow.

"Right," she murmured.

* * *

"How long is it gonna take Chase to get back with Teddie?" Riley asked as the Rangers worked in the busy restaurant.

"No clue," Tyler shrugged. "Let's just hope it's soon, we can't risk a battle with Fury two Rangers down," he murmured, worried.

"Yeah, we were lucky that Chase was able to use Teddie's Charger for her part of the Dino Spike, but now we're missing two of them," Shelby shook her head, just as worried. It had been a day, and they'd still not heard from the two Rangers. All they'd gotten from Ari was that she had no clue how the time-stream worked, and to trust the Mystic Mother to get the two back in time.

"Ari seemed a little distracted, didn't she?" Arianna commented as she walked into the kitchen as well.

"Maybe she worry for Teddie and Chase?" Koda suggested.

"I dunno. She didn't seem overly concerned when we mentioned it yesterday. But on another subject, did you see the Pachycephalosaurus skull that Prince Philip sent the museum?" Shelby turned to them, her eyes shining in excitement. The others couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at her behaviour. She and Kendall were similar in that respect, no matter how much they denied it.

"A what?" Olivia asked blankly.

"They're a type of dinosaur that has a this large dome over their skull that's super hard," Shelby explained simply to Olivia, but the girl maintained her blank look. "Urgh, you guys are no fun," she complained.

"Maybe we just have a different definition of the word," Olivia grinned at her. Shelby rolled her eyes as the others laughed. Arianna remained quiet, wondering just what was on Ari's mind.

* * *

"I proudly give to the city of Amber Beach, the Zandar Play Park!" Prince Philip announced, cutting the ribbon so the children gathered could run in and play. Everyone cheered and applauded as the kids began to play, and he smiled for the cameras before walking away to let the focus turn to the new playground.

Once he was out of the spotlight, Philip rooted in his pockets, and pulled out a dark grey gemstone, examining it closely. "Nothing..." he sighed sadly, before looking up sharply as a shiver ran down his spine. He looked around, but found nobody nearby, and his focus returned to the Graphite Energem in his hand.

Philip remembered how the Gold Energem had felt in his hand. It was warm and comforting, even when it hadn't been held in a while. The Graphite Energem just felt cold, like a normal gemstone. If it wasn't identical to the other Energems that the Rangers held, and hadn't been found in the skull of a dinosaur, he would have dismissed it as unimportant.

With a heavy sigh, he returned it to his pocket, cast his pale gaze to the tree nearby, before walking off, his disappointment obvious. As he returned to his car, Ari sat down on the branch, her legs swinging as she watched the car drive off.

"I knew it," she murmured, shaking her head. From the moment she'd heard Arianna had spoken to the Prince about how Energems had worked, she knew he was up to something. "Dude's either got good senses, or I'm losing my Ninja touch," she commented lightly, and shook her head. "And he seems to have heart, but he's going about this hero business all wrong," Ari leaned against the trunk of the tree.

She'd been following Philip since he'd left the museum, and seen his good deeds all around the city. They were kind and generous, but she knew he had a motive for it. "Kinda like..." Ari couldn't help but laugh. "V and Chip trying to unlock spell codes," she remembered her friends when they'd first become the Mystic Rangers. "Well, better keep an eye out. Two Rangers down means opportunity for Fury. Mystic Mother," she looked up at the sky as she stood up. "You better get them back soon," she warned. There was no response, and the woman rolled her eyes before leaping from the tree and streaking off.

* * *

Humming to herself as she walked towards the museum that afternoon, Arianna hoped that everything had calmed down. The Rangers were on edge, being two members down, and Ari hadn't been around all day. They hadn't been able to reach her either, and when Kendall had spoken to Xander, he'd told them that she had a tendency to wander off on her own investigations. He'd sounded quite resigned to it as well, clearly used to it.

"Miss. Arianna!" she turned in surprise as Philip called out to her, striding towards her.

"Oh, Prince Philip, I didn't realise you were still in town," Arianna smiled at him, and he felt his face warm at her friendly smile. She was one of the few who didn't react to his royal status. She treated him like a friend, and he found he preferred that to the excited fans. "More questions?" she guessed.

"I was wondering if I might speak with you all?" he asked, and Arianna's head tilted.

* * *

The Rangers and Arianna sat with Prince Philip in the park near to the playground that had just been opened. Philip took a breath, a little nervous.

"Nothing is more noble than helping one's fellow man, and I wanted to help you on your mission to keep the Earth safe," Philip admitted to the group, having been inspired by their actions when he'd seen them fight to protect the Gold Energem. They smiled at him, and he looked down. "A few days ago, I found this," their smiles dropped and their eyes widened as he held up the grey Energem.

"The Graphite Energem!" Koda stared at it.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Tyler frowned as the Prince avoided their looks, embarrassed.

"I hoped it'd bond with me," he admitted quietly.

"That's why you asked me about it," Arianna realised, and he gave a nod.

"I did everything I could, but clearly I'm not worthy of being a Power Ranger," Philip sighed, and held it out to Tyler. "Perhaps you can find someone more fitting?" he suggested.

"Thanks, Prince Philip. This means a lot," Tyler smiled as he took it from Philip. The Prince nodded back, unable to hide his disappointment.

"You went about it the wrong way," they all jumped in shock at Ari's voice, and looked around to see her sitting beside Koda like she'd been there the whole time.

"Who-"

"Ari! Where have you been?" Shelby frowned.

"And why are you trying to scare the living daylights out of us?" Olivia grumbled.

"Sorry, bad habit," Ari chuckled, and lifted the Graphite Energem from Tyler's hand. She held it up to the light, before giving it back, not feeling the same pull from it.

"What did you mean, I went about it the wrong way?" Philip asked her curiously. "How would you know?" he questioned, a little defensive. Ari chuckled.

"A long time ago, two of my friends, thought that doing good deeds made them heroic," she told the group, who watched her curiously. "But they learned that there's a difference between being a good person, and being a hero," Ari said, and Philip frowned, not understanding what she meant, before Ari's eyes widened and she spun around in her seat. The air shimmered, just in time to catch a blast of power that bounced off it. However, the shield shattered into sparkling lights, and another blast hit the table, throwing them all back. The Graphite Energem flew from Tyler's hand and away from them.

"Like my new weapon?" Fury called to them as he approached with a group of Vivix and blue guards. Along with them, was the robot that had vanished the day before.

"My robot," Philip realised in horror. "Impossible!" he swallowed.

"Time to crush you with your own technology!" Fury declared.

"That hunk of steel doesn't stand a chance against us!" Tyler declared.

"Arianna, you and the Prince get to somewhere safe," Ari told them as the Rangers ran to fight the monsters. Arianna nodded as Philip's guard rushed over and pulled him away. "Okay, since Chase and Teddie aren't back, guess I'll help out," Ari sighed, and flipped over the table. She landed between a group of Vivix, and started to fight them with kicks and punches that floored the creatures.

"This is bad...Chase and Teddie still aren't back," Arianna worried from her hiding spot as Philip watched with her.

"Where are they?" he asked her.

"In the past," Philip frowned at the bizarre answer. Arianna didn't look up, seeming unaware of his confusion, before her eyes locked onto the scared children in the playground, trying to hide from the Vivix that had noticed them. Without thinking, she rushed out of her hiding place.

"The Mercurian!" Fury spotted her as she ran to help the children. She changed forms, turning to mercury to dodge the blasts the Vivix threw at her, before reforming and shoving them away. "Get her!" he ordered.

"Arianna!" Tyler yelled as Fury tossed him to the ground.

"Get that pesky Mercurian!" Fury roared to the robot.

" _Attack Mercurian_ ," the robot locked onto Arianna, and blasted her, making her scream as she was tossed through the air, landing in the sand and laying motionless.

"Arianna!" Philip shoved his guard off him and sprinted through the fight. He kicked the Vivix away as they swarmed Arianna, and blocked them from getting to her.

"Man, I leave for a few days and this happens?" a voice asked, and the ground shook before vines burst from the ground and grabbed the Vivix that were overwhelming the Prince. His eyes widened as he watched them be tossed aside, and Teddie landed nearby, her arms outstretched.

"Things were fine when I left," Chase landed beside her, firing his blaster and hitting the blue guard fighting Koda. "I think it's my absence more than yours," he smirked at Teddie, who rolled her eyes.

"Your ego has gotten worse with nobody to keep it in check, huh?" she complained. "I thought Oli would have least kept you in your place," Teddie grumbled, before turning to Philip. "Oh, your highness," she blinked rapidly at him.

"How..."

"Never mind that, how's Arianna?" Teddie brushed past him to kneel beside her friend, who was unconscious. A burn lined her side, ripping through her blue shirt. "Mum!" she shouted to Ari, who finally managed to get away from the robot targeting her.

"I've got her," Ari ran over, and looked up at Philip. "You protected her. Thank you," she smiled, and he nodded as Chase and Teddie looked at him in surprise.

" _What_?!" they heard Fury roar. "An Energem!" he yelled, and they looked around to see the Graphite Energem floating in the air. It then shot at Philip, and he instinctively caught it, but the force made him trip and fall to the ground.

"Your highness!"

"The Prince!" Shelby shouted as she saw him on the ground, before grey lights flashed through his body and made him groan. As an image of a dinosaur with a large head flashed in his mind, glowing grey, he felt the power run through him.

"It chose me?" he whispered as Chase and Teddie laughed.

"Okay, clearly we're missing some stuff, but congratulations," Chase chuckled as they helped the Prince up.

"Energem very smart," Koda nodded as the others rejoined them.

"I'm getting Arianna inside," Ari told them as she lifted the unconscious girl into her arms. Philip's attention was torn between the glowing Energem in his hand, and Arianna, before Ari suddenly streaked away. A fossilised blaster suddenly materialised in his hand, and he looked down in surprise, lifting it. He couldn't hide his excited smile as he examined it, fascinated.

"Ms. Morgan, you're not going to believe what happened," Shelby laughed as she contacted Kendall.

" _Another_ Ranger? Not for long!" Fury roared, furious that another Energem had slipped through his fingers.

"Is it Morphin' Time?" Philip asked as they stood together, ready to fight.

"You bet it is," Tyler nodded with a confident grin.

"You beat me once, but it won't happen again!" Fury vowed angrily.

"Graphite Energem!"

"Dino Chargers, ready!"

"ENERGIZE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed and leapt into action.

"Dude, it really is nice getting back to fighting these losers after fighting that Evil Alliance," Teddie commented as she tossed a Vivix over her shoulder.

"Stop rubbing it in!" Chase complained as he shot one out of his path. Teddie giggled. "Though seeing mum and dad, and Zoe and Kira that young," he shook his head.

" _Super_ weird, huh?" Teddie asked, and the Black Ranger nodded his agreement. "Dino Steel, Armour On!" she called on her blades, and cut through the Vivix much easier.

"Vivix, rise and finish the job!" Fury roared, and the Vivix began to combine together to make massive monsters. "I'm outta here!" he growled, slinking off as the Rangers were distracted.

"We've got trouble!" Shelby called as the monsters.

"Tyler, watch out!" Ivan yelled, just before a monster kicked Tyler. The Red Ranger cried out as he smashed through several piles of concrete, landing hard and rolling to a stop.

"Tyler!" they ran to his side as he groaned, struggling to get back up. Hearing a roar, they looked up to see a massive Zord run in and smash into the monsters.

"You alright?" Olivia asked as they helped Tyler up.

"Yeah..." he groaned.

"Whoa, that Zord is awesome!" Teddie cheered as the Pachy Zord swung its tail and threw one of the monsters back. It roared, smashing into the other before using its tail to destroy the monsters.

"Come on!" Tyler led them to where Philip was still fighting the robot.

"If my Zord can take out those creatures, then I can finish you!" he declared as the robot got back up. "Graphite Power! Royal Dino Punch!" he threw out his arms, and a mace not unlike his Zord's tail smashed against the robot, shattering its armour and tossing it to the ground. It sparked violently, before getting back up.

" _Error, error_ ," it repeated, before falling over and exploding.

"Robot destroyed!" Philip smiled proudly.

"You pack quite a punch," Tyler laughed as the Rangers ran over to him. They complimented him, and he laughed, embarrassed.

"Okay, someone, seriously, tell me what we missed," Teddie pleaded with them.

* * *

"How's Arianna doing?" Tyler called as they rushed back into the base. They stopped, stunned, to see Arianna standing with Kendall and Ari, without a scratch on her.

"How on earth?" Philip questioned as she waved at them.

"Oh, uh..." Teddie and Chase exchanged looks. "Did we forget to mention that mum can heal people?" everyone spun around to stare at them, before looking at Ari. She waved innocently at them.

"You two are the worst," Shelby complained. They just shrugged.

"My, to heal so perfectly, it takes a great deal of skill in healing magic," Ivan commented.

"It's not magic. It's my genetic enhancement from my Overdrive days," Ari told them with a shrug.

"Wait, I thought those weird shields and balls were your Overdrive powers," Riley frowned.

"Nope. Dino Gem from my Dino Thunder team gave me those," Ari explained lightly, as if this wasn't completely ridiculous sounding to most of the team.

"Forgive me, but I'm a little confused. Who are you, exactly?" Philip asked, baffled by the woman.

"Who indeed, your highness," Ari gave a mysterious smile. "You did impressive work out there for a first timer. The Graphite Energem chose well," she complimented, and Philip flushed with pride.

"That's what you meant before," he realised. "The difference between good deeds and being a hero," Ari winked at him. "It was easy for me to throw money at things, but I realise now it was never going to make me worthy of being a Power Ranger," Philip nodded as he looked around the base. His Graphite Energem flew from his hand over to the Crystal Beds as the others let theirs go too.

"You risked your life to protect Arianna," Ari said, and the Mercurian girl smiled softly at Philip, who felt his face start to warm again. "The Graphite Energem saw the hero you are, and chose to bond with you," the others nodded in agreement.

"Seriously, I leave for a few days and another Energem was found. I miss everything," Teddie complained.

"I left for a day and I missed everything," Chase grumbled.

"Do you two _ever_ stop complaining?" Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Do you?" Chase bit back.

"Finally, something normal about... _okay, what_?!" Teddie shouted, pointing to Chase and Olivia's linked hands. "When was anyone going to tell me about that?!" she demanded, throwing her hands in the air.

"Welcome to the team," Tyler chuckled as Philip looked entirely baffled by the outburst.

"And yes, it is always this loud," Arianna giggled. He met her gaze and smiled, and the others tried and failed to hide their smirks as Ari sighed.

"Yep, Ty's gonna kill me for this one," she murmured.

* * *

 **Since I start work tomorrow, my updates won't really be as frequent for a while, but I'll update by the end of the week!**

 **Please review!**


	18. To Be A Team

Chapter 18: To Be A Team

Training was well under way for the Rangers, who were slowly growing accustomed to the new member of their team. Philip was a skilled fighter and kept up easily, until something new was presented and threw him.

"That's just cheating!" Shelby complained as she and Olivia were tossed to the ground. "I petition that Teddie and Chase don't get to team up any more!" she declared to the others as the Black and White Rangers high-fived.

"At least not if they're using powers," Olivia added. Shelby shot her a scowl. "I mean, at all," she amended quickly.

"I'll take them, come on Koda!" Tyler laughed to the caveman, who nodded, and they rushed Chase and Teddie. Ivan, Riley and Philip looked around from what they were doing to watch as the twins worked in perfect unison despite not speaking, dodging attacks thrown their way. Tyler suddenly vanished, and Koda pushed Chase back with much greater strength.

"Oh sure, we're cheating but you don't say a word about Ty's powers or Koda's caveman strength!" Teddie complained, and ducked, grabbing onto something unseen. Tyler let out a cry as he materialised again, flipped over Teddie's shoulder.

"Good use of the Swoop technique," Chase told her, bumping her fist as he managed to turn Koda's strength on the caveman and knocked him to the floor.

"My strength...betray me," Koda sighed as Tyler laughed from the ground beside him.

"Sir Riley, how about we show them how it's done?" Ivan suggested, and the Green Ranger grinned, raising his sword and nodding. They launched at Teddie and Chase, who grabbed their own blades and blocked the attacks. However, it didn't take very long for them to be knocked back, their sabres landing on the ground away from them.

"And honour is restored," Riley bowed as the others clapped. Teddie stuck her tongue out and stretched. She then glanced to Philip, who was watching with awe at not only the odd fighting methods, but seeing his idol, Ivan, in action. Teddie grinned, turning to him properly.

"Care to try your luck?" she challenged him, and he quickly raised his hands.

"No, thank you," he refused with a little alarm.

"Aw, boring," Teddie complained.

"Don't listen to her mate," Chase nudged his sister. "She loves to show off," he said, and everyone snorted.

"Oh, _I_ do?" Teddie turned to him. "Hypocrite!" the two began to spar as the others rolled their eyes and got back to their own training. Philip watched the pair, fascinated. Their skills were far greater than he imagined, in styles he didn't recognise. Even as twins, they didn't share a fighting style. And the others all possessed a lot more skill than he expected. He'd only started training after meeting them for the first time, and while he'd learned and improved quickly, he couldn't help but feel a little outclassed.

* * *

"Honestly, you two idiots," Ari rolled her eyes as she healed the bleeding cut across Chase's forehead. "How many times do you need to be told about watching where you aim your magic?" she scolded the pair. "Do you need more time with Tanner?" she threatened mildly.

"No..." they chorused.

"They were showing off," Olivia called over. Chase shot her a half-hearted scowl, before Ari turned his head back.

"Shocking," she muttered, and stepped back, letting the glowing fade as Chase wiped the blood from his forehead.

"My, there really is so much to take in," Philip commented softly as Arianna sat down beside him. She covered her quiet laugh with her hand.

"Thankfully it's pretty much all Teddie and Chase. And Tyler. Oh, and Koda," Arianna glanced to the caveman. Philip nodded, quiet, and Arianna turned her pale gaze to him, tilting her head. "Is everything okay, your highness?" she asked him.

"Hm? Oh, yes," Philip cleared his throat, but her concerned expression didn't fade entirely. He had to admit, she was quite perceptive.

"I believe you're all due upstairs for work?" Kendall reminded with an arched eyebrow as she walked past. All but Philip and Ari got up and went upstairs, with Arianna pausing to touch Philip's arm. He started at the sudden contact, and his face warmed.

"If you need to talk, I'm here," she smiled, before jogging after the rest of the Rangers. Ari rolled her eyes with an amused smile, and stood, stretching.

"Who'd have thought I'd become a medic after all? I suck at healing magic," she said to herself quietly, before approaching Philip as he looked through a message he'd received. "Used to the whole Ranger thing yet?" she asked, taking a seat beside him as he looked up sharply.

"It is taking some time, I will admit," he replied to her, and she chuckled.

"Yeah, that I can understand. Even if you want to become a Ranger, actually being one is..."

"Different," Philip finished, and she nodded.

"Yup," Ari agreed. "But it'll get easier, trust me," she chuckled.

"I see," Philip looked down at his hands, feeling even more outclassed next to the woman he'd learned had been a Ranger on five different teams. She held herself like he'd been taught to, but something about her was much more powerful than he felt. He glanced to the doors again, thinking about Arianna and her offer to talk. She was sweet, and kind to him, and had seen the good in him from the moment they met.

"Tyzonn will probably kill me for this," he looked at Ari again as she sighed, shaking her head. "Arianna should be due her lunch in about three hours. She loves the park," with that, the woman stood and walked away, not looking around as Philip's face grew warm again. He couldn't believe her suggestion. But worse, he couldn't believe he was considering it.

* * *

Work was cut short for the Rangers when the computer sensors picked up an alien attack in town, and they ran to find the coordinates.

"There!" Tyler spotted Fury and his latest monster, who was laughing as he bounced around. He grabbed a table as the people sitting at it fled screaming, and it began to warp around his hand.

"Oh, that doesn't look good," Teddie commented.

"Rangers!" Fury snarled. "I'm here for your Energems, and this time I'm not leaving till I get them!" the cat-like creature roared, drawing his sword.

"Fat chance Fury," Tyler rolled his eyes and lifted his Charger. "Dino Charger, ready!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed and drew their weapons.

"Vivix!" Fury called on the footsoldiers, who flooded in and swarmed them.

"Let's go guys!" Tyler called, and the group of Rangers moved into action, fighting off their opponents as Ivan and Philip faced Fury, and Tyler faced Copperbend.

"You guys aren't a match for us, when are you going to get it through your heads?" Teddie taunted as she landed on the shoulders of one of the Vivix. With powerful slashes of her sabre, she took down the ones around her as they leapt at her, before she leapt up and flipped, cutting down the one she'd been using as a step.

"Probably around the same time you and Chase lose your egos," Olivia teased as she moved past Teddie, kicking another back.

"Mean!" Teddie pouted at her, before dancing out of the way of a punch. "It's not arrogance if it's right," she added with a grin.

"Yes it is," Riley argued. "And I believe Ivan and I showed that you're not the best out there," he added as the others laughed.

"Everyone's against us," Chase complained.

"Accept you're not the best and we'll stop being so mean," Olivia told him sweetly.

"Like that's gonna happen," Shelby scoffed as she punched another of the white footsoldiers.

"You will pay for humiliating me! Both of you!" Fury roared, cutting across Philip's chest and making the young man cry out as he was floored. Fury's next swing was blocked by Ivan's sword, and the cat was shoved back, away from the fallen Prince. "To have lost the Gold Energem 800 years ago, and now the Graphite Energem, Sledge will destroy me for certain, unless I destroy you first!" Fury snarled.

"That shall never happen, foul beast!" Ivan declared as metal clashed against metal, ringing through the air. "Dino Charger! Ready!" he slotted it into his Morpher. "Lightning Strike!" he slashed down, slamming the electric attack into Fury's chest and making him shriek in pain. The cat-like alien crashed through the tables and chairs, and Ivan turned, offering Philip a hand.

"Thank you..." Philip spoke quietly as he accepted it, getting to his feet.

"The battle is not over, let us join the others!" Ivan declared, and they ran over to where Copperbend was using a warped table to toss Olivia into the air.

"Gotcha!" Chase caught her in his arms, and grinned under his helmet.

"Thanks. Now, let me go please?" Olivia asked with a sigh. Chuckling, Chase let her down, and grabbed his blaster. He fired several shots that made Copperbend cry out and stumble back.

"That's playing dirty!" he complained as Fury staggered over to him.

"Let's get out of here," Fury snarled, and the pair rushed off before the Rangers could stop them.

"They're gone," Shelby groaned.

"Not for long. They'll be back," Tyler said as he turned to them. "We need to be ready," he told his team, who nodded.

* * *

Philip looked at the Energem in his hand, his mind on the battle that had taken place. He'd stood no chance against Fury. If it wasn't for Ivan, he'd have been destroyed for sure. He gave a wry smile. Only his second battle and he'd been stomped on. He couldn't help but wonder just why the Energem had chosen him.

"Your highness?" he looked up as Arianna approached him with a careful smile. "You were deep in thought, I called you a few times," she commented.

"I...I apologise, I..."

"Want to talk now?" Arianna offered as he trailed off. Philip nodded, feeling like a child. "Come on, let's go for a walk then," she suggested, and the two began to walk. They walked in silence, and Philip realised that she was waiting for him to speak, patient and not pushing him to speak.

"Do you feel that I am unsuited for being a Power Ranger?" he asked her suddenly, and Arianna looked at him, surprised.

"Why do you ask such a thing?" she questioned.

"The other Rangers, they've been very welcoming but," Philip hesitated. "I'm completely outclassed by them. They're much more skilled than I. I've only been training a little while, but-"

"You shouldn't compare yourself to the other Rangers!" Arianna told him, alarmed. She took a seat on a bench, indicating for him to do the same. "You're not them, but they're not you either," she said as he sat down.

"Yes, I know that, but in that last battle, I was no use against Fury. If it wasn't for Ivan, I'd have been destroyed," Philip told her, his confidence shattered. Arianna tilted her head, watching him as he looked at his Energem again. It hung from his neck like the others wore theirs.

"But that's why you're a team. You have each other's backs. Nobody thinks less of you for not being able to take Fury. None of the Rangers could alone," Philip frowned at her words.

"But Tyler and Koda are strong, Teddie and Chase-"

"Everyone brings something to the team, and you bring your heart," Arianna stopped Philip before he could continue. He wasn't too sure how he felt about her cutting him off. He wasn't entirely used to being treated so casually. "You wanted to help so badly that you _found_ an Energem. You helped fight off Fury and the Vivix with courage," Arianna told him firmly.

"I don't know how that makes me useful to the team," he shook his head. Her words warmed him, but did little to make him feel better. Arianna sighed, shaking her head.

"Because you won't give up. You don't give up. And the Rangers are a _team_ , nobody is expected to fight alone," Arianna told him. "Being a Power Ranger isn't about being able to take on a bad guy by yourself. Look at any group through history and you'll see that they face the threat together. And you're forgetting one thing. You've only been a Ranger for a few days. They've been Rangers for months," Philip frowned at his hands as her words started making sense to him. "You think that any of them were as good then as they were now? They've trained every day since they became Rangers. You need to keep training, and you'll forget this who inferiority thing in no time," Arianna smiled again.

"Inferiority?" Philip spluttered, making her laugh.

"Yes, sorry your highness, but as Ari told me, I call them as I see them," she told him unapologetically.

"I see..." Philip glanced away again. "Thank you, Arianna," he murmured, thinking over her words.

"Feeling any better?" Arianna asked, leaning forwards as her fingers curled around the edges of the bench. She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he seemed to be listening to what she had to say. He was definitely as stubborn as the rest of them. He watched her with his own pale blue eyes, silent for a moment.

"Arianna," he suddenly reached out, and her smile fell, her cheeks warming, as his hand closed over hers. He lifted her hand, turning her to face him.

"Your highness-"

"Philip. Please," Arianna struggled to refuse him, but her pounding heart refused to let her. She met his gaze nervously, but the moment was interrupted by Philip's Dino Comm beeping. He released her hand, and lifted it, activating it.

" _We've found Fury and the monster, meet us there_ ," Tyler told him, and Philip stood.

"On my way," he nodded, and the link ended. He slipped the comm back into his pocket, and turned to Arianna, who was blushing furiously as she looked at her hands. He couldn't help but smile at her shyness. "Arianna, once this monster has been destroyed, would you accompany me on a date?" he asked her, and Arianna's blushing spread, turning her ears pink.

"I, um..." Arianna swallowed. "Yes," she nodded quickly, not able to look at him, or his excited smile, before he turned and hurried to find the monster. As he left, Arianna couldn't stop her own smile spreading across her face.

* * *

"This time, don't screw up," Fury was snarling at Copperbend, who nodded.

"I won't fail this time!" he grabbed a lamppost and yanked it out of the ground. The metal immediately began to warp around his body as the wires sparked dangerously.

"Oh yeah you will!" the monster let out a wail as several energy blasts connected with his body, and he dropped the pillar in his grip as he fell over.

"Rangers!" Fury snarled.

"Oh yeah! And this time, there's no escape!" Tyler told him as the group stood together. "Let's go Rangers!" he told his team, who nodded.

"Vivix!" Fury summoned the footsoldiers to come help.

"It's always you losers," Teddie commented as she danced around their attacks. "You'll never stand a chance against us!" she flipped into the air and kicked them as they swarmed her. The Vivix sprawled to the ground, and she landed with a laugh.

"Careful Teddie, there's that ego again," Olivia warned as she fought off her own attackers. Teddie stuck out her tongue uselessly at the Forest Ranger, who didn't even see it due to her helmet blocking it off.

"You Rangers have humiliated me for the last time!" Fury vowed as he fought Ivan and Philip.

"I doubt that," Philip bit back, dodging the sword swing to kick him into Ivan's path so the Knight could cut down his back with a powerful sword strike. Fury roared in pain, staggering away from the pair as nearby Tyler shoved Copperbend back with a punch.

"You'll not beat me!" the monster vowed, using the metal he'd warped onto his fists to punch Tyler and toss him backwards with a yell.

"Tyler!" Shelby cried, running to his side. Chase raised his blaster and fired, but it bounced off the metal, making him frown.

"That metal armour he's got, it's blocking our attacks," he warned.

"That just tickles!" Copperbend mocked as he moved the metal and rammed Riley, throwing the Green Ranger to the ground next.

"Then we'll use something more powerful! Chase!" Tyler called to the Black Ranger, who nodded.

"Dino Armour X Charger, ready!" he summoned the powerful orange jaws that covered his hands.

"What's that?" Copperbend yelped as it saw the new weapon.

"Dude! When'd you get that?" Teddie demanded. "I want one!" she whined.

"Sorry Teddie, only works with me," Chase smirked at his sister, and turned to the monster. "Your time is up! Spiral Attack!" he launched at Copperbend and spun. The monster shrieked as the Black Ranger collided with him, snapping through his metal easily. He landed behind the monster, who groaned and fell over, exploding.

"Not again!" Fury yelled, before the green light of the Magna Beam hit the monster, regenerating him.

"I'm back!" Copperbend sang, towering over them.

"We need the Zords! Dino Charger, ready!" Tyler shouted. "Summon T-Rex Zord!"

"Summon Tricera Zord!"

"Summon Stego Zord!"

"Summon Ptera Zord!" the four Zords formed the Megazord, and the Rangers materialised inside it.

"So this is the inside of the Megazord..." Philip commented as he looked around, fascinated.

"That's right, but I think we could use a bit extra firepower," Teddie grinned. "Dino Charger ready! Summon Compo Zord!" she summoned her small Zord, which leapt across the buildings towards them before jumping into the air and changing into a sword.

"Let's go Rangers!" Tyler called, and they launched at Copperbend, but his metal armour easily deflected their strikes.

"His armour, too strong," Koda frowned as Copperbend laughed.

"You'll never beat me now! I'm too strong for you!" he declared, punching the Megazord and making it stumble backwards.

"We need more firepower," Chase frowned.

"I have an idea! Dino Charger, ready! Summon Pachy Zord!" Philip called on his own Zord, which replaced Shelby's Tricera Zord.

"Oh, it's a mace," Olivia realised, and Philip nodded.

"Let's smash this guy!" Tyler cheered.

"Pachy Wrecking Ball! Final Strike!" they threw out the wrecking ball and it slammed into Copperbend, shattering the metal armour he wore, and tossed him into the air for one final punch. He yelled, exploding, and the Rangers cheered at another victory.

* * *

"Great work out there today Rangers," Kendall nodded as the Rangers returned to base.

"Yeah, that new Zord is super strong," Tyler grinned. Philip gave a smile as he walked in, sliding his phone into his pocket.

"I wish that I could remain here with you all, but I'm afraid I must return home," he told them, and they nodded.

"We understand," Riley nodded.

"Royalty comes with its own responsibilities," Shelby voiced. Teddie smirked.

"At least she's come to respect that," Shelby blushed as Teddie elbowed her. She pushed the White Ranger back, shooting her a scowl as the others laughed.

"And I promise to protect the Graphite Energem. Use the Pachy Zord and Graphite Chargers in your quest to find the remaining Energems, but if you ever require the help of the Graphite Ranger," he summoned the Graphite Energem from the Crystal Beds, still fascinated that he could do so. "I will return," he vowed.

"Sweet, cause otherwise we'll have to come to you," Teddie grinned at him.

"And you really don't want her in polite company," Chase smirked.

"Either of you," Riley corrected, and the others nodded.

"Rude!" they complained as Philip couldn't help but laugh at the team. He turned to leave, before pausing and glancing to Arianna.

"May I have a word?" he requested, and she followed him out as the others snorted.

"Bet Tyzonn is gonna love that," Chase grinned. Ari sighed, putting her head to the desk.

"He's gonna kill me!" she cried.

"I am sorry I must leave so suddenly," Philip turned to Arianna once they were away from the others. "But I will be back, and when I do...will you still have that date with me?" he requested, and Arianna blushed.

"Of course," she smiled at him gently. Philip took her hand, and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"Then I look forward to my return," he murmured, holding onto her hand for a moment longer before releasing it.

"Me too," Arianna admitted, making him smile before turning and walking off. As he did, she leaned against the wall, shaking her head. "Somehow, I don't think this is what dad meant by experience on Earth," she couldn't help but laugh to herself.

* * *

 **This chapter turned out pretty different to how I originally planned it, but I much prefer it that way. I wanted to flesh out Philip's character a bit, and I felt that once he joined the team, he might find himself in over his head a little.**

 **I hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	19. No Matter How You Slice It

**Thought I should update, I've kinda been neglecting the story to play Overwatch while the Summer Games event is on.**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 19: No Matter How You Slice It

Despite another morning of digging and not finding anything, the Rangers were still full of energy, chatting amongst themselves.

"I can't believe you never said you were in a band," Shelby said, shaking her head.

"Well, we're no NZ Boys," Teddie teased her, knowing of the Pink Ranger's love for the popular boyband. Shelby blushed, and rolled her eyes. "It's just me, Ryan and Jeremy, when Jeremy's not on one of his journeys and Ryan is able to meet us," she shrugged modestly.

"That's still cool. I gotta hear you guys together some time, I mean you're great on your own, but I'd love to hear you all," Shelby told her, making Teddie blush in return. As Riley moved away, on his phone, the others gathered by the truck.

"They are pretty good," Chase nodded as he pulled a flat cardboard box from the back of the truck.

"Don't start your flattery, I'm still mad you blabbed," Teddie shot her brother a dirty look, since he had been the one to mention her sort-of band with their friends. Chase just shrugged and smiled at her, unapologetic. Despite her confidence, Teddie sometimes struggled to be open with others, and Chase was trying to get her out of the habit.

"Koda! Riley! Time for some fun, Kiwi style!" he raised the cardboard box into the air as the pair looked around. Chase led the group towards the sand dunes that were near to where they had been digging, and Ivan slowed, looking dubious.

"I expected something a touch less vertical," the knight admitted quietly, looking paler than usual.

"What's wrong with you? Scared?" Teddie teased him with a grin, and the man raised himself to full height, looking insulted.

"A Knight of Zandar is never scared!" he declared, but deflated a little when Chase handed him a board he'd found. Teddie and Shelby giggled at his clear nerves.

"This is awesome, just like back in New Zealand," Chase grinned, not even noticing Ivan's fear.

"That's one big sand dune," Riley swallowed as he looked down at the steep drop in front of them.

"Perhaps a bit too big, no?" Ivan suggested as he looked too. "Anyone? Too big?" he tried, looking helplessly to the others.

"Come on," Tyler laughed as he approached the edge. "It'll be a blast!" he encouraged. Teddie walked over to the edge and dropped her own board down.

"And she's off!" she announced in a grand voice, standing on the board and tipping it forwards. Ivan and Riley gave alarmed shouts as she shot down the side, sliding down with a cheer.

"Ted can't skateboard to save her life, but she's amazing with dune surfing," Chase shook his head as Shelby followed with a laugh, and he stood on a board as most sat on theirs, except for Tyler, and they all slid down with cheers. Tyler fell off his halfway and rolled down, and Shelby shrieked as she came off her cardboard box. Chase stumbled when he hit the bottom, and they all couldn't stop their laughter as they helped each other up, stumbling a little.

"That was awesome!" Tyler laughed.

"That wasn't scary at all!" Ivan commented as Koda helped him up.

"You scream like baby pig," the Blue Ranger laughed, putting an arm around him as Ivan cleared his throat, embarrassed by the teasing.

"What did you think?" Tyler asked Riley as he hauled the Green Ranger to his feet.

"That was pretty fun I guess," he admitted.

"How'd the video turn out?" Olivia asked as Chase helped her up. Shelby went to grab her phone, and her eyes widened.

"My phone!" she realised as she searched her pockets and couldn't find it. "It must have slipped out of my hand!" she realised, and started looking around for it quickly.

"Let's help the lady look," Ivan suggested, and they all started to look around. Teddie walked back up the sand dune, searching along the line left by Shelby, before a shiver ran down her spine. Before she could look around, she felt a strange sensation, as if something in her had been cut, and she lifted her head.

"You're better off without a phone," Chase snapped suddenly. "You waste too much time on that thing," he growled at her. Shelby's expression darkened in response, but Ivan was the one who scoffed.

"You, Sir Chase, are the master of wasting time," he sneered at the Black Ranger.

"Do you _have_ to talk like that?" Teddie slid back down the dune and walked over with a roll of her eyes. "It's so exhausting listen to you talk like my grandfather. You know, like an old man," she told him, and Ivan scowled at her, red spreading across his face.

"I have better things to do. I'm outta here," Tyler decided.

"Grand idea," Ivan drawled.

"It's great. Great idea. Nobody says _grand_ anymore," Olivia corrected him.

"You said it five minutes ago!" Chase pointed out.

"I'm Irish, I'm allowed to!" Olivia snapped, storming off.

"Hey! What about my phone?!" Shelby demanded as Ivan shoved Tyler into Chase.

"You lost it, you find it!" Tyler snapped at her.

"Oh, you mean this phone?" Teddie held up the pink phone in her hand. "If you had two brain cells to rub together, you might have thought to look where you last had it," she then dropped it, and it landed in a puddle with a splash. "Oops," she spoke snidely, turning and walking off.

"Hey!" Shelby shrieked, rushing over to her phone.

"What a loser," Chase scoffed.

"I hear that," Teddie bumped his fist and the two walked away.

"Chase! Teddie! Help us!" Riley's yell made them look around to see a scissor-like monster attacking Koda and Riley.

"You deal with it," Chase told him, continuing to walk. "Not my problem," he told Riley as the Ranger stared at him.

"Nor mine. I'm tired of helping you guys out with your own issues," Teddie shrugged,following her brother away.

"See ya," they all walked away, leaving Koda and Riley to face the monster alone.

* * *

"Cake?! We're not making cake! We're making cupcakes!" Shelby shouted at Tyler as she snatched the bowl away from him.

"Guys, please stop fighting!" Arianna pleaded with them.

"Quit your whining Arianna," Teddie rolled her eyes, sitting on the counter and watching them fight. Chase then grabbed the bowl from Shelby, sticking his finger in to try it.

"Vanilla? No, it's got to be chocolate!" he told them, turning to grab the ingredients needed. Shelby and Tyler both shrieked in disagreement.

"Sir Chase, why try one finger full?!" Ivan shoved him around and grabbed the bowl. "Might as well have it all!" Ivan turned the bowl upside down on Chase's head. The others started to laugh as Arianna rushed out of the kitchen.

"Now you really look like an idiot!" Olivia taunted him, and he threw a handful of batter at them, making them shriek. "You asshole!" Olivia tackled him as batter ran down her face and hair.

"Food fight!" Shelby yelled, before a loud whistle made them look around.

"What is going on?!" Kendall demanded, standing in the doorway with Arianna and Ari, as well as Koda and Riley, who were covered in bruises.

"See? I told you! They can't stand each other!" Riley exclaimed.

"That's putting it lightly," Ari rolled her eyes as she hauled Olivia off Chase. The Forest Ranger struggled, wanting to get in another hit as Chase glared at her, getting to his feet as batter dripped from his face.

"Get cleaned up, and go to the base, _now_ ," Kendall spoke slowly, her voice furious. Chase pulled his hat off, only for Olivia to shove it into his chest, covering his shirt in more cake batter. Chase then threw it at her back, and she spun around, only for Ari to push her away, sighing heavily.

* * *

"Guys, can't you see? That monster even said 'when he's done, we wouldn't have a friend in the world'," Riley repeated what the monster had told him during the fight. The Rangers just scoffed.

"Somehow he's broken your friendships. He's trying to split you all up," Kendall explained.

"And it working..." Koda added sadly. Chase rolled his eyes.

"That monster had nothing to do with it," he told them irritably.

"Yeah, some friendships just aren't meant to last," Shelby told them, glaring at everyone in the room.

"I don't believe you! We build strong friendships, all of us," Koda argued, hurt in his eyes.

"I don't think talking to them is going to get them to snap out of this," Ari commented, her arms folded. She glanced to Teddie and Chase, the only ones affected who hadn't been arguing. She arched an eyebrow.

"Well then maybe, we can just build those friendships again," Riley suddenly smirked as a plan came to mind. The others looked up at him, frowning.

* * *

"Okay," Riley spoke as he bound his and Koda's ankles together. "Good friends work together," he told them as the others glared at their partners. Ari watched from a tree branch above, and Arianna stood at the base of the tree, worried. "Okay...go!" Riley called. He and Koda worked in perfect unison, moving forwards easily.

"You've got two left feet!" Chase yelled at Tyler as the two struggled.

"You call yourself a knight? I call you a night _mare_ ," Shelby spat at Ivan, who glared down at her.

"I thought surfers had good coordination," Teddie complained as she and Olivia struggled just as much. Riley and Koda looked around, hearing the arguments breaking out.

"Get off me!" Shelby yelled, and shrieked as she fell to the ground.

"I'm not doing anything!" Ivan threw his hands up.

"I can see why you suck at skateboarding, your balance is crap!" Olivia snapped at Teddie, and the pair cried out as they fell forwards to the ground. Ari shook her head in exasperation.

* * *

The Rangers then stood in front of Koda, none of them looking very impressed.

"Strong friendships built on trust," the caveman explained. He turned to Arianna, who nodded and closed her eyes as he stood behind her. She fell backwards, and he caught her easily. Koda then nodded to the Rangers, who took a go. Tyler closed his eyes and fell back, right as Shelby got a text and walked off to answer it, looking for better signal in the forest. Tyler landed in the leaves with a thud, right before Ivan as Chase turned away to admire a pretty woman jogging by. Ari put a hand to her face as she watched it take place.

"Jerk!" Chase let out a yell as he was knocked to the ground by Olivia again, and Teddie landed in the leaves with a grunt.

"Not cool!" Tyler glared at Shelby as he got up.

"Such indignity!" Ivan shouted as he and Teddie watched Chase and Olivia scrapping on the ground again.

"Olivia, you were supposed to be catching me, remember?" Teddie demanded.

"Okay," Ari landed on the ground easily beside Koda and Riley as they watched the Rangers argue again. "Doesn't look like this is going well. How about a different approach?" she suggested to them.

* * *

Chase pressed an ice pack to his bruised cheek where Olivia had hit him, shooting her a glare. She sat on the crates nearby, and glared back at him.

"Okay, maybe we just need a reminder of what good friends we are," Riley brought over a laptop.

"Shelby, this is the video from your phone," Kendall told her, and they watched the footage of them dune surfing.

"Really fun, right?" Koda smiled.

"Yeah..." Tyler nodded, and for a moment they thought they'd gotten through. Then his smile turned sour. "Like a sunburn," he muttered. Chase suddenly stood up, tossing the ice pack at Ivan.

"Keeper, I wish you all the luck in the world, but give my Energem to someone who can stand this bunch," he announced, taking the guardian by surprise. "I'm on the first bus back to Briarwood," he turned and stormed towards the door.

"Same here," Teddie spat.

"You read my mind!" Tyler snarled.

"Good riddance," Ivan bowed mockingly to the group staring at them.

"Guys, please!" Riley pleaded. They stopped in the doorway, looking around irritably. "Look, if our team breaks up, Sledge wins!" he reminded them. Shelby gasped loudly, before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever," she turned and shoved past Tyler.

"Laters," Olivia called as they all disappeared out.

"They're really gone..." Riley murmured quietly, not sure how to react.

"Their broken friendships have caused their energies to be thrown out of balance," Keeper gestured grimly to the Energems, which were shining erratically. "Soon, the bonds to their Energems will break, and they will cease to be Rangers," he warned them.

"I'll have them delayed for a while," Ari lifted her phone.

"Whoa, what's with those guys?" they looked up in surprise as Spencer walked in, looking over his shoulder. "It's a good thing that biting someone's head off is a metaphor, because otherwise I'd have lost my head several times," he chuckled, but his smile faded when he saw their expressions. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Energems sick..." Koda murmured as he approached the crystal beds, looking at the Energems.

"But how come you guys didn't have your friendships broken?" Arianna asked Riley as Ari spoke on the phone. The Green Ranger frowned.

"I...I'm not sure actually," he admitted. Arianna then turned and lifted the laptop, bringing up the footage of the fight.

" _Your turn, caveman_!" they watched as the monster's scissors suddenly snapped.

"Ms. Morgan, Koda, come here!" Riley called, and they gathered around, with Ari and Spencer joining them.

" _He broke my scissors!_ " the monster wailed.

"Koda, his scissors broke when he tried to cut your friendship bond," Arianna gathered, looking at the Blue Ranger in surprise.

"Your loyalty to your friends was too strong to be cut," Keeper realised.

"You are not just friends, you are family," Koda explained, smiling at the group.

"Then maybe..." Ari brought the footage back to when it had cut Chase and Teddie's bonds.

"Did it chip?" Riley frowned, seeing a small fragment of the scissors break away.

"Twins have a bond that is incredibly strong. While it still cut the rest of their bonds, Chase and Teddie's remained standing. That's why it only chipped, instead of snapping like with Koda," Ari told them. "I had wondered why they were still close. But that won't matter, their Energems are still affected too," she glanced to the Energems shimmering erratically.

"If only I could get a piece of his scissors, I could reverse the effect," Kendall admitted with a sigh. Riley's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Guys, I have an idea," he grinned.

* * *

Riley and Koda sat in the park, discussing the events of the day.

"Very sorry about birthday, Riley," Koda sighed. Riley managed a small smile, touched that despite all the worry for their friends, Koda was still worried about him as well.

"Thanks Koda, but right now I'm, just worried about getting our friends back," he replied softly. "At least I still have you," he chuckled. Shearfear emerged from behind a tree, creeping up on the pair.

"Now to cut the Green Ranger's bonds," he chuckled, reaching out to cut Riley's bonds. However, when he did, his newly repaired scissors snapped as easily as they had before. "What?! How did that happen?!" he cried out in horror.

"This is how!" Riley and Koda stood up, and Spencer emerged from behind another tree, snapping his fingers. Their appearances suddenly changed, revealing they had been disguised as each other.

"You tricked me!" Shearfear realised.

"We're just getting started!" Riley told him, leaping over the bench and kicking him. "Koda, catch!" he tossed the scissor fragment to Koda, who raced over to the van that pulled up.

"No!" Shearfear wailed. The three leapt into the van, and they raced off.

"Is it going to work Kendall?" Riley asked as Ari drove the van.

"It's Ms. Morgan!" Kendall corrected him irritably. "And I really, really hope so," she muttered as she started working.

"Koda, how are the Energems doing?" Ari called, and Koda lifted the case containing the Energems.

"Oh no...Energems getting dark," the Blue Ranger told them worriedly. "Hurry, their bond breaks soon," Koda warned as Kendall worked quickly.

"Okay, these new Dino Chargers should reverse the scissors effect. They're ready," Kendall held up the new Dino Chargers.

"Amazing," Spencer murmured as he took one and studied it curiously. "But uh, now how are we going to catch them?" he asked as he handed it to Koda. Ari gave a small laugh.

"I said I'd have them delayed," they pulled up, and they looked out to see the Rangers struggling in vines that held them down.

"This is not cool! Let me go!" Tyler yelled, ripping through the vines holding his ankles and wrists, only for more to replace them.

"Forget that idiot, let me go! We're gonna miss the bus back home!" Chase complained.

"What on earth is going on?" Kendall stared at the sight.

"You needed a delay, right?" Xander grinned, easily summoning vines that kept the Rangers in place. He easily swatted away the ones Teddie sent in relatiation, and she glared at him. "Hey Spencer, didn't expect you to be in town," he commented lightly. Shaking off their surprise, Koda and Riley lifted their blasters and inserted the new Dino Chargers.

"Dino Morpher Blast!" they fired shots at the Rangers, who stumbled and fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"What...happened?" Tyler frowned.

"What's with the vines?" Shelby looked down as the vines released them and disappeared as if they'd never been there.

"Look, they glow again!" Koda smiled, holding the Energems up as they shone brightly.

"It worked," Riley grinned, and the six Energems flew back to their respective owners.

"Why did we treat each other like that?" Chase wondered as the memories of what happened returned to them.

"It was monster's fault," Koda explained as he approached. "But now we go stop them," he told the Rangers. Spencer cleared his throat, leaning against the van.

"If you want to stop them, look no further," he gestured, and the Rangers looked around to see Shearfear, Wrench and Curio approaching.

"There they are!" Wrench pointed.

"They're not fighting each other!" Shearfear realised as the Rangers stood together. "Impossible!" he gasped as he held an eyeglass up and saw their repaired bonds. "Their snipped bonds are fixed!" he cried in horror.

"You don't mess with the Rangers' friendships," Riley told him. "It's Morphin' Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"Power Rangers, Charge! Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Pterodactyl, Power Ranger Gold!"

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"Let me finish the scissory one," Riley requested as Shearfear laughed. Tyler nodded, and the Rangers all began to fight as Vivix arrived and began to attack. Spencer rolled his eyes as he was surrounded as well, and straightened up as he fixed his glasses. Nearby, Ari and Xander were taking out the Vivix who were stupid enough to approach them with ease.

"If you insist on fighting me, well, I won't turn you down," Spencer then rushed one of the creatures and punched it hard, sending it sprawling to the ground, before another two took its place, and he batted their attacks aside. Tossing another aside, he kicked out, only to be shoved backwards when one threw itself at him, and another caught him with a kick. Spencer's head hit the metal of the van, and he let out a cry.

"Spencer?" Teddie heard his cry, and looked around as Spencer stumbled, a hand to his head, before his glasses fell off with a clatter. His eyes opened, flashing bright gold, and with a yell he punched one of the Vivix so hard it slammed into a wall nearby, cracking it. The Vivix stumbled away in shock, but Spencer's speed had increased, and he tossed them like ragdolls, before letting out another yell, and a shockwave burst from him, turning the creatures to dust.

"Spencer!" Ari ran towards him as she saw him stumble, falling to his knees as he breathed heavily.

"What happened?" Kendall asked as she stepped out, but Spencer pushed away from her.

"Please, don't," he breathed heavily, a hand over his eyes as he fumbled for his glasses, which Kendall lifted and pressed into his hand. He opened his eyes, and she stared at the eerie gold of them, which flashed before returning to their normal green colour. He then slumped, and the scientist caught him, baffled, before looking up as more Vivix attacked. Ari intercepted it easily, flipping the creature to the ground.

"Get him into the van," she told Kendall, who nodded and hauled Spencer back into the van. Nearby, Riley was easily overpowering Shearfear, whose broken scissors were no match for his Dino Sabre.

"You'll never stop these blades, Green Ranger!" Shearfear yelled as Riley ran towards him, and blades burst from the ground, shooting towards Riley.

"Dino Steel, Armour On!"

"Para-Chopper Blast!"

"Ptera Bolt!"

"Compo-Blades!" Chase, Ivan and Teddie blocked the blades from hitting Riley.

"No!" Shearfear wailed.

"Thanks guys," Riley smiled, relieved.

"Tis nothing, just what friends do," Ivan shrugged.

"I'll go help the others, but first..." Chase turned and blasted Shearfear, making the monster shriek in pain.

"I wonder if I can rip those pillows apart," Olivia wondered as she used her Scelido-Spear to slash down Curio's front. The cushioned monster wailed in pain, crashing to the ground as Chase helped Tyler and Koda back up.

"A Ptera Charger?" Riley blinked as Ivan offered the Charger to him.

"We shall finished him together," Ivan told him as Shearfear got back up.

"Together sounds awesome!" Teddie cheered.

"Dino Charger, Ready!"

"Wait! Can't we all be friends?" Shearfear pleaded, holding up a hand.

"Think again!"

"Lightning...Final Strike!"

"Dino Morpher Blast!"

"Final Slash!" Ivan and Teddie's attacked slammed into the scissor-like monster, before Riley's slash finished him off. The monster wailed, and exploded.

"Good job Riley!" Tyler praised as the others ran over.

"Couldn't have done it without our friends," Riley grinned.

"Vivix, rise!" Wrench yelled suddenly, and the creatures that had been fighting Ari and Xander suddenly turned and ran to group together, combining to form a massive monster.

"Looks like we need reinforcements," Riley spoke as they looked up.

"Call Dino Charge Megazord?" Koda suggested. The others nodded.

"Dino Chargers, ready! Summon Zords!" Tyler, Shelby and Koda summoned their Zords to form the Megazord.

"Go, I shall summon the Ptera Zord," Ivan told them, and the others nodded, leaping up into their Megazord to awaken it.

"Alright, let's do this!"

"Dino Drive, activate!" the Rangers called on their greater power, and with a roar, the monster rushed them.

"Compo Zord!" Teddie summoned her own Zord and they used it to form their Compo Sabre, slashing across the monster's front.

"Surprise!" they looked around in shock as Shearfear suddenly reappeared. "I can still cut you down to size!" the monster laughed. As they stumbled, they were grabbed.

"A second Vivixord?! We can't move!" Tyler yelled as the Megazord was restrained. Shearfear laughed, ready to strike them down, only for a blast to hit him.

"We know who that is!" Olivia smiled in relief, and they looked up to see the Ptera Zord flying towards them.

"No fear, my friends. Activate Ptera Charge Megazord!" Ivan changed his formation and lashed out.

"You're trying to cut in?" Shearfear sneered, slashing up the front of the Ptera Charge Megazord and forcing it back.

"This beast is stronger than I thought," Ivan complained.

"Ivan needs us, but we can't get loose!" Riley groaned as they continued to struggle.

"We can't help, but I know what can," Chase told him, and Riley's eyes lit up.

"Of course!"

"Dino Charger, ready! Summon Zords!" the Para, Raptor and Scelido Zords all leapt in and attacked Shearfear, tossing him away from Ivan.

"Activate Ptera Charge Megazord! Para-Raptor Formation!" Ivan called, and the black and green Zords attached to his Megazord. "And let's try one more! Scelido Zord combine!" he shouted, and the darker green Zord then combined over the chest, acting as a shield. "Welcome, my noble friends," the Gold Ranger greeted as Chase, Riley and Olivia appeared in his Zord.

"Whoa!"

"This is so cool."

"We need to help the others," Chase reminded as Olivia and Riley looked around in awe.

"Battle mode!"

"Let's distract those Vivizords!"

"Para Zord Blast!" the blasts hit the two monsters, who were shoved away from the Megazord.

"We're free! Thanks guys!" Tyler smiled in relief as they were freed.

"Indeed," Ivan nodded.

"We'll finish off the Vivizords!" Tyler told them.

"Let's do this!" Teddie cheered as they used their sabre to knock the two monsters away from them.

"T-Rex Zord, Final Strike!" the T-Rex head opened, and fired a large blast that was big enough to destroy the two Vivizords in one shot.

"Ptera Lightning Blitz!" Shearfear shrieked as he was blasted by the powerful attack.

"Let's cut him down to size," Riley smirked.

"You said it," Ivan nodded as they lifted their weapons.

"Para Zord...Fireball Finish!" they aimed, and fired, hitting Shearfear dead on.

"No! I'm not cut out for this!" he wailed, falling forwards and exploding.

"That was awesome!" Olivia cheered along with the rest of them.

* * *

After finishing up cleaning the café by himself and checking his empty voicemail box for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Riley headed down to the base, dejected. He couldn't believe his mum, nor his brother, had called him on his birthday.

When he walked in, he let his Energem fly to its place in the Crystal Bed, before frowning as he realised most of the lights were off. He looked around curiously.

"How do you turn the lights on in here?" he wondered aloud, before the lights suddenly switched on, lighting up the room and revealing everyone standing there.

"Surprise!" they all cheered as he jumped in shock.

"What?!" Riley couldn't help but laugh in disbelief as streamers flew down.

"Happy birthday!" the Rangers all cheered as they ran over and hugged him tightly.

"I thought you guys forgot!" Riley admitted as Koda let him down.

"See, that is how surprise parties work," Chase smirked at him as they led him to the table.

"It's not that we've forgotten, but actually we've been planning it for weeks," Shelby laughed as Riley stared at the cake and cupcakes all over the table, all decorated in green icing.

"It didn't help that Ivan almost blabbed like four times this last week alone," Teddie glared at Ivan, who cleared his throat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he lied weakly, blushing as the others laughed.

"Even I knew to keep it a secret, and I've never been part of throwing a surprise party before," Arianna smiled at him in amusement. "It was very exciting," she admitted.

"They tell me to keep party secret, I sorry," Koda apologised, having known that Riley had felt hurt at the thought that they'd forgotten.

"No, this is amazing! You guys are the best friends ever!" Riley smiled, but it faded a little. "I just wish my family could be here too," he admitted. The group then exchanged grins.

"Well, Sir Riley," Ivan put a hand on his shoulder and guided him over to the console. "Ask, and you shall receive," the Gold Ranger smiled. The video feed popped up, showing his brother and mum, along with his dog.

" _Happy birthday, buddy! Wish you were here_ ," Matt smiled at the camera.

" _We miss you honey! We hope you have a great birthday_ ," his mum spoke, patting Rubic. " _We'll see you at the end of the summer_!"

" _Say hi to Riley, Rubic_ ," the dog then barked loudly as Riley smiled.

" _Bye_!" they chorused, before the video ended.

"They remembered," he smiled.

"Of course they did, they're your family," Teddie smiled, linking arms with him. "You might not get to be with them right now, they'll never forget you," she reminded him.

"And how could anyone ever forget about you?" Tyler grinned, taking his other arm, and they pulled him back to the cake on the table. As they forced a party hat onto his head and they gathered around the cake, Ari glanced to Spencer, who had been very quiet since the fight.

"Ready to talk about what happened out there?" she asked him softly as Xander straightened up. Spencer watched the group of Rangers with Kendall and Arianna, starting to cut the cake, and sighed.

"Last year, in our final fight with Grumm, I...we were captured and imprisoned on his ship," he told them softly. Ari and Xander exchanged looks, having known that much. "While the rest were to be destroyed, Grumm's master, Omni, he brainwashed me to be his servant," Spencer thought back to the final battle.

 _A figure landed on the ground nearby, down on one knee with their head lowered. For a moment, nobody moved, until the young man stood._

 _"_ _It's Spencer!" Sera smiled widely in relief. "He's okay!" she went to run to him, but Kayden grabbed her wrist._

 _"_ _That's not Spencer," he said warily, making her frown._

 _"_ _What? But-"_

 _"_ _Astute observation Kayden," Spencer smirked, his glasses still cracked and his hair messier than usual. His eyes now shone an eerie gold. "The great Magnificent, Omni, has sent me to finish off this pathetic attempt you call a defence," the group staring at him took a step back in horror._

"You fought against SPD, then Annie and Minos snapped you out of it," Ari remembered. Spencer nodded, and sighed.

"They snapped me out of it, but...I think a fragment of Omni's power stuck in my head," he admitted, looking at his parents. They could see the fear in his eyes. "It's happened three times now, I take a hit to my head, and I get this huge power boost," Spencer told them softly. "I can keep control of it and force it to go away, but...there's a part of me that wonders if it's going to take control again," Spencer confessed.

"Spencer..." Ari put her hands to her mouth, forced to remember her trial a long time ago, when she'd had to fight Spencer before she even knew him.

"Spencer, mate," Xander put a hand on his shoulder, and forced him to look at him. "It's not going to happen," he said confidently, and Spencer frowned, not knowing how he could be so sure.

"Even Bridge can't get it to go away," Spencer shook his head. "It nearly knocked him out, and Annie nearly knocked me out for it," he admitted, thinking of the fiercely protective Silver Ranger coming to her fiancé's defence.

"Then you need to try something else. We know plenty of people who's been hit with this stuff before," Xander pointed out.

"He's right," Ari nodded, leaning into Xander's side slightly. "But for now, go enjoy the party with the others," she told him, and Spencer turned, hesitating, before approaching the others. "What if-"

"No," Xander cut Ari off immediately. "You're not doing this to yourself again Ari, you tortured yourself about it when Spencer was born. This has nothing to do with that, and like I said, we'll handle it," he told her firmly. Ari was quiet for a moment, before smiling and laughing slightly.

"When did you stop being such a dork?" she teased.

"I was never a dork, you just deluded yourself," Xander retorted, kissing the side of her head. "Now let's just enjoy another win," he told her, leading her to the others.

* * *

 **Just realised I only have another chapter and a bit to write of this story, then I'm onto Dino Super Charge. Scary...**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	20. World Famous (In New Zealand)

**I finished writing Dino Charge! Powered it out last night and I'm pretty happy with it. Now to start on Dino Super Charge, which will be a separate story.  
**

 **I hope you continue to enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 20: World Famous (In New Zealand)

Shelby huffed as she took a seat at the table with the other Rangers, having seen the schedule.

"But I'm scheduled to work seven days in a row!" she complained to Kendall as Tyler, Ivan and Koda sat down with them, Riley and Olivia, bringing drinks with them. "I need a break," Shelby declared. Kendall just smiled in amusement.

"And you will get a break. On day 8," she told her as the others laughed in amusement. "Anyone seen the troublesome two?" Kendall asked, seeing they were still missing two.

"Said something about a letter," Olivia shrugged. "They ran off," she said, taking a drink.

"Maybe something to do with Spencer going back to New Tech again? I thought he'd be staying longer than a couple of hours," Shelby commented.

"I heard him say something about needing to talk to his team," Kendall said idly as she looked at the schedule in front of her.

"Guys!" they looked up as Chase and Teddie rushed in, and Chase scooped up his skateboard. "We just got sent this photo, of a UFO," Chase set down a photo excitedly in front of them. "Look familiar?" he grinned as they leaned in curiously.

"Hey, that is Sledge's...transport pod," Koda realised as Riley lifted the photo for a better look.

"Who took this picture?" the Green Ranger asked curiously as Kendall took the photo to examine it herself.

"We need to check this out right away," she decided. The two cheered loudly.

"Awesome, cause the photo was taken by Tanner, our old teacher," Teddie grinned. "And he lives in..."

"New Zealand!" Chase finished for her, and they high-fived as the others laughed with excitement, and Kendall sighed.

"Change the work schedule, Ms. Morgan. We're heading down under," Shelby laughed as she walked past them, and Tyler cheered. Kendall shook her head, giving a small amused smile at their antics.

* * *

Arriving in Auckland, the Rangers clambered out of the van they'd taken from the airport.

"This place is so cool," Olivia breathed, looking around the city. "Check out the water! I wanna go surfing in that!" she exclaimed.

"No time, we have to go catch the ferry," Shelby shook her head. Olivia pouted.

"Later," Chase patted her shoulder.

* * *

"I can't believe we get to see Tanner again," Teddie leaned on the railings. "This is awesome," she grinned as the wind battered her hair from her face.

"Yeah, it's been years," Chase agreed.

"Oh! Dolphins!" Shelby gasped, and they looked over the railings of the ferry to where she was pointing.

"What are dolphins?" Ivan asked curiously, never having heard of the creatures. His eyes widened when he saw the mammals jump from the water, chirping and riding the waves.

"Aw, I'm so jealous," Olivia complained, leaning on the railings.

"We go swim!" they looked around to see Koda pull off his shirt and go to jump in.

"No!" they all yelled, grabbing him and stopping him from jumping overboard. As he looked baffled at not being able to join the dolphins, the others laughed.

* * *

"Is this the right place?" Shelby asked when they finally stopped, having taken a car once they got off the ferry. "We're really out in the boonies," she commented, looking out the window.

"Well here, we call it the Wop-Wops," Chase grinned.

"Tanner doesn't really care much for the city. Just be grateful he's living in this dimension at the moment," Teddie told them as they all climbed out. Tyler stretched, grateful for a chance to move about. It felt like they'd been travelling forever.

"Yeah...still not a normal thing for people to say," Riley told the White Ranger, who shrugged and walked past. They looked around at the small camp, which was fairly empty, except for a picnic bench, and a small house built up in the trees.

"Hello? Tanner?" Teddie called as they found the place empty.

"Good day?" Ivan called. "Anyone?" he tried when there was no response.

"Tanner! You knew we were coming, come on mate!" Chase shouted into the trees.

"Are you sure he's here?" Riley asked, before an arrow sprouted in the tree right by his head. He looked around slowly as the others looked at him, their eyes wide.

"Tanner!" Teddie put her hands on her hips. "Don't scare them off before they meet you!" she scolded.

"Yeah man," Chase yanked the arrow from the tree, studying the blue tipped end. "And the barely missing your head arrow is so old," he added. There was a chuckle, and a figure leapt down from the tree, landing beside Ivan and making the knight shriek in alarm with Shelby as they grabbed onto each other.

"Whoa, I knew it'd been a while since I've been out of the wilderness, but do I look that bad?" the man, whose grey hair was streaked white. He wore a black tunic that was lined with blue and blue trousers, with a bow and arrows on his back. A scar ran down the side of his face, making him seem much more intimidating.

"You're...Tanner?" Tyler asked, swallowing as the older man smiled in amusement.

"That'd be me," he nodded.

"You're Teddie and Chase's teacher?" Shelby blinked, taking in the appearance of the grizzled man.

"Ah, so they told you about me. I'm honoured," Tanner walked by, taking the arrow from Chase and examined it. Shelby glanced to Tyler, who looked just as confused by the man.

"Good sir, that sword, and the way you carry yourself," Ivan approached him. "You're a fellow knight, are you not?" he questioned curiously, and Tanner looked at him. His brow furrowed for a moment, and he tilted his head.

"You're a knight," he realised, and glanced to Teddie and Chase. "Interesting company you two keep. But maybe I should say that to the rest of you," Tanner smirked, turning to the others.

"You could definitely say that," Olivia grinned, and Tanner's grey eyes darted to her. He chuckled.

"You have no right to talk, young lady," he told her, making Olivia frown. "I can sense your own magic as clear as day. We are kin, it would seem," Tanner commented as he studied her.

"Uh...what?" she questioned.

"Yeah, what?" Teddie frowned, not understanding. Chase glanced away, whistling innocently, and Teddie shot him a glare. "What did you do?" she demanded. Tanner shook his head.

"I see you're just as reckless as always when it comes to a pretty lady, Chase," he commented, and Olivia shot Chase a glare as the others snorted.

"That's for sure," Riley laughed.

"So, what brings you to New Zealand?" Tanner asked, leading them to take a seat at the camp. Tyler glanced to Chase and Teddie, expecting them to lead the conversation with the man.

"It's about the photo you sent us," Chase told him, setting it down on the table. Tanner lifted it, studying it.

"I've seen it five times flying around. To be honest, I wanted you to check it with Daggeron and Althea. I didn't expect you to come here, with your friends," Tanner looked up, arching an eyebrow. "What do you want to know about it?" he asked.

"Where has it been flying?" Riley asked, still a little nervous of the man who'd fired an arrow at his head.

"All over the city. Once over here, but most of the time it's stuck to the city. Almost like it's searching for something," Tanner told them, handing over the picture. "So either you recognise that ship, or you're just UFO Hunters. In which case...you left New Zealand to go back to that?" Tanner questioned the two. They just shrugged in response.

* * *

"Good luck finding the UFOs," Tanner grinned as they climbed back into the car.

"Thanks for your help Tanner," Tyler smiled at him through the window.

"Yeah, next time, we gotta hear more embarrassing stories about these two," Shelby grinned.

"Not cool!" Teddie huffed, still blushing.

"We'll check out those locations you gave us," Riley told the Knight, who waved them off.

They headed back to the city, taking a seat by the docks and enjoying the fresh air. Koda in particular was glad for the break, never being one for being confined in vehicles for very long.

"These are the five different places where Tanner saw the pods," Shelby pointed to different places on the map.

"Okay, it seems like Sledge is looking for something, just like Tanner said," Riley commented.

"But what?" Koda asked, confused.

"There's really only a few things Sledge wants. Us dead, and the Energems. So either there's a way to destroy us here...or...maybe there's an Energem?" Teddie suggested.

"But how could Sledge possibly know that?" Tyler questioned. Teddie shrugged.

"I don't know, but those are the most logical solutions, right Riley?" she glanced to the Green Ranger, who nodded in agreement.

"Hey! He took my bike!" they looked around to see a thief riding off on a woman's bike.

"We stop him!" Koda shouted as they started running, chasing after the thief. The man wasn't the fastest of cyclists, barely keeping ahead of the group, before grinning and turning a corner. They heard a startled shout, and turned the corner, stopping abruptly.

"I can't believe it," Shelby breathed as they stared. The thief struggled on the ground as a figure restrained him, tying up his wrists behind his back. Humming to himself, the Purple Ranger didn't notice that he had company until he stood and looked around, before stiffening.

"The Purple Ranger!" Ivan breathed.

"So that's why Sledge has been searching New Zealand," Chase breathed.

"Called it!" Teddie cheered.

"He wants Purple Energem," Koda nodded. The man didn't respond to them, running off.

"Hey! Come back!" Tyler shouted.

"Man, again?" Olivia complained as they chased him down. He leapt over railings and walls, hoping to escape them, before stopping in alarm.

"I've finally found you! Now, give me the Purple Energem!" Meteor ordered. The Purple Ranger backed away. "Have it your way! Vivix! Destroy him!" he yelled.

"Not while we're here!" the other Rangers leapt into view already Morphed, running to fight off the Vivix.

"What?" the Purple Ranger gasped in alarm.

"Haha! Get me all nine of the Energems!" Meteor laughed with delight. Ivan leapt in the way of the creatures who were starting to swarm the new Ranger.

"Fear not, my Violet friend!" the Gold Ranger declared as he tossed them aside. "Summon Ptera Sabre!" he called on his weapon, taking them out.

"Did you leave your fighting skills back in Amber Beach?" Tyler taunted.

"I don't know Tyler, I think these creeps have always been weak!" Chase smirked as he swept the feet out from under the Vivix surrounding him.

"That's for sure, I'm not even breaking a sweat out here," Teddie laughed, jumping up and dodging two of the Vivix that hit each other instead.

"I wanted to go for surfing, but I think you guys need it more!" Olivia punched one and it tumbled over the railings into the water.

"Can it really be..." the Purple Ranger breathed as he watched them fight off the monsters with ease.

"Let's finish this!"

"Energise! Dino Morpher Blast!"

"Lightning Strike!" they fired their powerful moves and hit Meteor, kicking up a cloud of smoke.

"Nice try Rangers!" he taunted from the cover of the smoke.

"Where'd he go?"

"I dunno man," the Rangers looked around.

"There!" Teddie pointed as an engine roared to life.

"He's escaping!" Riley groaned. They demorphed, and sighed.

"Monster...got away," Koda grumbled.

"Where'd Purple go?" Tyler asked as they looked around for the new Ranger. Hearing someone clear their throat, they looked around to see him approach slowly. Ivan frowned, recognising the way he carried himself.

"I see you two still insist on fighting in those ridiculous clothes of yours," the Purple Ranger commented to Teddie and Chase, who frowned, before the suit faded to reveal Tanner.

"Tanner?!" the group chorused.

"Surprise?" the Knight offered.

"You're a Power Ranger?" Riley stared at the Knight as he smiled easily at them.

"So that's what it is. I had wondered what that suit was," Tanner commented, looking down at his hands. "So can you explain what this is?" he pulled a small purple gemstone from his pocket.

"'Tis an Energem," Ivan explained. "It holds powers beyond your imagination," he told him excitedly.

"The UFOs you've been seeing belong to those monsters," Riley explained.

"I see. So that's why you're really here," Tanner explained, looking at the Purple Energem in his hand.

"Yeah, the monsters are after our Energems. They must have known about yours, and come here to try and steal it," Teddie explained.

"Honestly, I just wanted to use it to help out the people of this city," Tanner admitted. "It's given me so much more power than my magic allowed," he chuckled, returning it to his pocket.

"Well, now you could help out the people of the world!" Tyler exclaimed excitedly.

"I see," Tanner nodded.

* * *

"So, how about a bit of training together?" Tanner suggested as they returned to his camp.

"Uh-"

"Sure!" Tyler nodded, excited to have a new teammate. Tanner grinned, and led the way to the training grounds as Chase and Teddie groaned.

"Now we're in for it," they grumbled.

It didn't take long for the others to realise that despite being older, Tanner was just as fit, and the Purple Energem had only given him more energy. He wiped the floor with them on the obstacle course, and left them in the dust in their run.

"Dude, flashbacks," Teddie groaned as she fell to her knees in the dirt, breathing heavily as sweat ran down her face.

"I beg you, no more running!" Ivan pleaded.

"Oh come on, I thought you were supposed to be a Knight!" Tanner taunted. "I didn't think you were quitters!" Chase and Teddie echoed at the same time as the Purple Ranger, who arched an eyebrow at the pair. "Have I said that before?" he asked innocently.

"Every time you made us run that track," Chase told him, fanning himself with his fan as Olivia fell into him with a groan. "You're a monster, Tanner," he told his teacher, who was doing push-ups.

"Did I already tell you about the time that Chase almost broke his leg showing off for a pretty elf girl?" Tanner asked innocently. Chase groaned, too exhausted to blush.

"I'd love to hear more when my body stops hurting," Riley chuckled, and groaned when it hurt.

"So, Tanner, how did you bond to your Energem?" Tyler asked curiously. The others looked up, curious too. Tanner was quiet for a moment, before standing and pulling his Purple Energem from his pocket.

"About a year ago, there was a freak snowstorm in the Dunedin Kingdom," he started.

"It's a kingdom in the Magical Dimension," Chase elaborated for the others who'd never heard of it.

"Almost everyone was sheltered, thankfully not too far from their homes, except for the Princess, who'd been out with her friend and their guards," Tanner continued. "The Princess was lost, separated in the storm and trapped by the cliffs by the sea, with the tide quickly rising," everyone was silent, drawn in by his tale. "I was the only one with a chance of finding her. I know the area like the back of my hand, and with my control over water, I stood a lot better a chance that the other knights. She was halfway up the cliff, so I climbed up to help her, and beside her, this began to glow. I lifted it, and the power flooded through me," Tanner gave a small laugh. "Suddenly I could turn into a Ranger, and with the power, I was able to do good for the city, and for the Dunedin Kingdom too," he smiled.

"That's so cool," Olivia breathed as the Rangers smiled.

"Was the Princess okay?" Koda asked. Tanner smiled and nodded at the caveman.

"Yes, Princess Ryia was returned safely to the kingdom, and quickly learned her lesson to not scale the cliff-side," he said, and the others laughed, before their Dino Comms suddenly beeped loudly.

"Alien bio-signs, down town," Riley told the others.

"Time to show them what the Purple Ranger is really made of," Tyler grinned to Tanner, who nodded slowly as the others ran off.

"Right..." he murmured.

* * *

People fled the city as the three monsters laughed loudly, destroying everything in sight.

"Not so fast!" several blasts caught the ground in front of them, stopping them from moving.

"There's three of them," Tanner frowned.

"Three times the freeze!" Ice Age declared.

"Three times the sting!" Stingrage shouted.

"Three times the heat!" Meteor added.

"Hey, we already destroyed two of them! They can't un-blow up! That's cheating!" Teddie complained.

"Sledge must be desperate," Tyler frowned.

"Follow what we do," Koda told Tanner.

"It's Morphin' Time!"

"Dino Charger, ready!"

"Ready?" Tanner held up his Energem with a frown.

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the Rangers Morphed, and ran to fight the monsters.

"So this is what this power is really meant for," Tanner commented as he fought off the Vivix that swarmed suddenly. He lifted his blaster, and shot each one down.

"Wow, you're a great shot," Olivia commented as she shoved one down.

"Who do you think taught your self-proclaimed Hot Shot?" Tanner grinned, glancing to Chase as he fought Ice Age, blasting the monster. Teddie then landed a kick to the back of his head, flipping and landing on her feet as Ice Age fell on his face. The three monsters landed in a heap together, groaning.

"It's over!" Riley warned.

"I'll stop them by bouncing a meteor ball!" Meteor declared as he spun, grabbing a ball.

"Not so fast!" Teddie shouted, streaking past him. Before the monster had realised it, Teddie was standing with the Rangers again, holding the ball in her hands. "You're not launching anything!" she told him, and tossed it to Shelby as they ran at her.

"Think fast!" she laughed as Ice Age ran at her for it. She threw it to Koda, who blocked Stingrage and threw it to Ivan.

"Sir Tyler, how about some Pachy power?" Ivan suggested.

"Okay, I'll launch it right back at them! Royal Dino Punch!" using a Graphite Charger, Tyler harnessed the Pachy power and punched the ball back at the three monsters, who shrieked in alarm. It flew into the air, before slamming into Meteor. There was a large explosion, and Ice Age and Stingrage were tossed to the ground as Meteor was destroyed. After a moment, Meteor returned, growing and laughing as he towered over them.

"We need the Dino Charge Megazord," Chase frowned.

"Those two are getting away!" Tanner ran off, chasing after the two monsters.

"Tanner! Stop!" Chase shouted, but he disappeared off.

"I'll go help him. Can you guys handle Meteor?" Tyler asked, and they nodded.

"Of course, Sir Tyler," Ivan nodded.

"Dino Charger, ready!" Tyler, Shelby and Koda summoned their Zords to form the Megazord before Tyler ran off after Tanner.

"Dino Drive, activate!"

"Come on guys, let's do this!" Chase called.

"Time for a meteor shower!" the monster summoned multiple meteors from space and began to slam them into the Megazord.

"Tanner!" on the ground below, Tyler ran into view just as Tanner was slammed into a tree, demorphing.

"No you don't!" Tyler let out a yell as Ice Age hit him, and he demorphed as well, groaning in pain. When he tried to move, he found one of his legs had been encased in ice, as well as his arms, stopping him from breaking free.

"You did it! Now, let's get their Energems," Stingrage laughed as the two monsters approached them. An arrow sprouted in his arm, making him wail in pain, before Tanner returned his bow to his side and ran to help Tyler up.

"Come with me! I know where to go," resting Tyler's arm over his shoulder, the Purple Ranger helped him limp away.

Above, the Rangers cried out as they were bombarded with more meteors.

"If he keeps up this meteor shower, we're done for," Ivan warned.

"Don't panic guys," Chase told them confidently, taking charge. "We'll have the Pachy Zord ambush him," he told them.

"That's a great idea," Shelby smiled.

"Dino Charger, ready! Summon Pachy Zord!" Chase summoned the grey Zord, which roared as it raced into view. As the Megazord stumbled, taking another hit, the Zord slammed into Meteor, stopping the attack.

"Awesome! That little guy really packs a punch!" Teddie laughed.

"You can't call anyone's Zord little," Chase smirked at her. "How about we try something new?"

"Activate Dino Charge Megazord, Ankylo-Pachy formation!" summoning the Ankylozord as well to replace the arms.

"I can feel the power of this combination!" Riley smiled.

"Me too! Very strong!" Koda nodded.

* * *

"Come on, not much farther to go!" Tanner told him, pulling Tyler along through the forest as the Red Ranger groaned in pain, unable to move his leg much.

* * *

"Bring on whatever you want, Rangers!" Meteor challenged them arrogantly.

"Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball!"

"Bring it!" the Megazord moved towards Meteor, who blocked the attacks.

"You have to do better than that," Meteor taunted, only to be hit with the Ankylo Hammer. He cried out, stumbling away.

"Ankylo Zord, Hammer Punch!" Meteor wailed as he was hit repeatedly by their attacks.

* * *

"We're almost there," Tanner spoke, before they were blasted off their feet.

"Surprise!" Stingrage and Ice Age laughed. "Did you really think you could escape us?" they mocked the two fallen Rangers.

"Tanner, go, run!" Tyler pleaded.

"No, I won't-" Tanner then let out a cry, putting a hand to his back.

"You're not leaving here with that Energem, old man!" Stingrage warned him. Tanner groaned.

"At least give me a fighting chance," he whimpered pathetically. He held up the Energem, and Morphed into the Purple Ranger. "Oh, my back!" Tanner complained. The two monsters just laughed as Tyler stared at him, not knowing what he was doing. "I'll stop you, you vile creatures!" he then stumbled towards the two, holding up his blaster and missing every shot. He lifted the blaster again, and yelped. "Oh, it hurts!" he complained. "I may be old, but I'll still give you a whooping!" he warned.

"He thinks he can kick our butts!" Ice Age squealed with laughter.

"The only think he'll kick is the bucket!" Stingrage laughed as more shots missed.

"You two need to learn some respect for the elderly!" Tanner shouted at them. "And I'm going to teach you!" he declared, suddenly shooting them perfectly and throwing them backwards. The landed in a net, and cried out as they were hauled into the air. "You think I set up camp without a few traps? That's how you get Goblins and Trolls causing trouble!" the Knight laughed. "That's the last time you underestimate me," Tanner scoffed, and turned, running back to Tyler. "Hold still," he warned, and fired several blasts that shattered the ice.

"Thanks," Tyler smiled. "So that's why you took me all the way out there," he realised. "You tricked them!" he started to laugh.

"Yep. Figured my age and new status might lead them to underestimate me," Tanner smirked, looking around at the monsters who were now arguing amongst themselves.

"Why didn't you use your magic?" Tyler asked him curiously.

"Honestly, I'm terrible at magic," Tanner admitted with a laugh. "I'm good at being a knight, but the magic part doesn't quite come so easily," both he and Tyler laughed.

"Thanks Tanner," Tyler nodded.

"No, thank you. You let me experience the adventure that I haven't had since I was young," Tanner smiled back at him, putting a hand to his shoulder. "But, you've also made me realise that I can't remain a Power Ranger," Tyler's smile faded at Tanner's words.

* * *

With another powerful kick, the Rangers threw Meteor back, and the monster breathed heavily, hurting all over.

"Let's finish this," Chase told the team.

"Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball!" spinning the ball, they tossed it at Meteor, hitting in in the chest. "Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball, Final Strike!" Meteor shrieked as he was hit once again with a powerful move, which exploded and destroyed him.

"Monster extinct!"

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Tanner?" Teddie asked as Tanner stood with Keeper, who had arrived when the Rangers contacted their base. "You'd be an amazing Ranger," she told him.

"You've been leaving us in the dust. And you took out those two monsters," Chase pointed out.

"Yeah, you'd be awesome," Tyler nodded.

"This is my home," Tanner smiled at them, touched by their words. "Thank you, for believing in this old fool. You two have really come into yourselves," he praised the twins. "But New Zealand is my home. As is the Dunedin Kingdom. There's no way I can leave. Plenty of other people can be a Ranger, but nobody here can replace me," Tanner told them, and the Rangers smiled, agreeing with him.

"Tanner is right. His duty as the Purple Ranger was to keep the Energem safe from our enemies," Keeper told them. "But his work is done now," they nodded, and Tanner turned to Keeper, pulling the Purple Energem from his pocket.

"I'm ready, Keeper," he told the guardian.

"Hold your Energem to the head of my staff," Keeper instructed. It began to glow as Tanner pressed the Energem to it. "This will unbond you from it," they watched as the Energem passed through the staff, no longer shining as brightly. "Thank you Tanner. You've made us all very proud," he told the Knight. Tanner nodded, and Keeper walked off, vanishing into smoke. Shelby looked at the Purple Energem the guardian had handed her, watching the pale light fading.

"It's been great to see you again, it sucks that it was so short," Teddie hugged the man, who chuckled and hugged her back.

"No relief at getting away from your cranky teacher with all the rules?" he asked as he let her go.

"I knew you were a good guy, and you were a great teacher," Teddie told him firmly, making Tanner smile again.

"You've always seen the good in me Teddie, maybe that's why I chose to do good deeds with the Energem," he told her, and she blushed, shrugging. "Keep that kindness, we need it in these times," he told her, and turned to Chase, shaking his hand. "And you, young man, focus more on hitting the targets than on the pretty girls. Though, it seems you're settled on the one at the moment," he chuckled, and Olivia blushed as Chase glanced to her and grinned. "Now, off you go, all of you, you've got a plane to catch," he told them, and they waved to him, calling out their goodbyes as they drove off, and he watched with a smile.

"Hey, so..." Teddie started as they left Tanner's camp.

"What's up Teddie?" Shelby asked her.

"Uh...since Tanner was bonded to the Purple Energem, does that mean that the Plesio Zord is awake?" her question made them all pause, now wondering exactly the same thing.

* * *

 **Now they have the Purple Energem, but nobody to bond it to...**

 **Fun fact: I had decided a long time ago that Calindor/Imperius had an affinity to Earth magic, before he joined the darkness. Just a little thing that never really got addressed but was always in my head. I remembered it recently when I was reading over my Mystic Force fic.**

 **Let me know what you think!**

 **Please review!**


	21. Deep Down Under

Chapter 21: Deep Down Under

" _I know you were all set to come back, but it's vital you stay in New Zealand until we find the Plesio Zord_ ," Kendall told the Rangers.

"We're trying, but even after he bonded with the Energem, Tanner never saw the Plesio Zord," Riley pointed out.

" _Fact: Tanner became the Purple Ranger. Fact: The Plesio Zord must be awake_ ," Kendall shook her head, certain that the Plesio Zord was awake.

" _I'm on my way out there to meet you_ ," Ari spoke up in the background, tugging on her jacket. The Rangers frowned, wondering why she was joining them. " _I'll explain when I get there_ ," she told them, seeing the confusion.

"We're gonna talk to some scientist named Dr. Runga. Shelby thinks he can tell us where to start looking for the Zord," Tyler spoke up.

" _Dr. Runga? Really_?" Kendall seemed surprised. " _If anyone knows about Plesiosaurs, it's him. Keep me informed_ ," Kendall instructed them, ending the link.

"Why's Ari coming out here?" Riley wondered.

"No idea. Maybe it's something to do with what she's been up to lately," Teddie suggested.

"Oh, is that the guy?" Chase indicated.

"Wow, that's really him!" Shelby gasped, looking star struck. "I've only seen him on TV and in books," she breathed, before turning to the others. "Look guys, Dr. Runga has hundreds of fossil discoveries in his name," the Pink Ranger fixed Ivan's jacket, making him arch an eyebrow. Shelby then had Riley stand up straighter, but as soon as she turned away, he moved. She then fixed Tyler's hair, making him grunt, and adjusted Olivia's hoody before snatching Chase's hat off. "We have to be professional," she told the group firmly, making Teddie pull off her jacket and put it back in the car. "Huh? Koda! I thought we agreed you were gonna wear shoes today!" she scolded the caveman.

"But shoes squish toes! It very much pain," Koda complained as the others didn't even bother to hide their laughter. With a groan, Shelby walked off.

"Come on," Chase put his hat back on as Tyler fixed his hair, and even Koda couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Oh, Compy!" Teddie gasped, lifting a piece of paper on her dinosaur. The man in the dirt who had been posing with a fossil for a photo looked around, and Shelby waved awkwardly.

"Why do you have to call it a compy?" Tyler laughed as the man walked over.

"Because Compsognathus is too much of a mouthful," Teddie shrugged back innocently.

"Hey! Excuse me!" the man stormed over, looking annoyed. He snatched the paper from Teddie's hands, making her jump. "This is a restricted area," he scolded them, fixing his desk.

"Hi, Dr. Runga, I'm Shelby Watkins, I called you earlier," Shelby introduced herself, but the man just frowned, not recognising her. "From the Amber Beach Dinosaur Museum? In the United States?" she tried when he still looked blank.

"Oh yes!" he finally seemed to remember. "You're my competition," he accused.

"Competition? No! We're huge fans!" Shelby defended quickly as the others frowned at his attitude. "I've read all your books, twice!" she held out his book quickly.

"You and three million other people," the man rolled his eyes. "Now, please, I'm a very busy man. What is it that you want?" Dr. Runga demanded, looking to Riley instead. Shelby looked down, trying not to look hurt.

"Well, to be blunt, if Plesiosaurs were still alive, where would they live?" Riley managed to ask, stumbling over his words a little.

"Let me understand," the man gave a small laugh. "You're looking for a _living_ dinosaur?" he asked.

" _No_ ," Olivia folded her arms, not liking the man's attitude at all. "What he's saying is that we're looking for the sort of habitat that would _suit_ a Plesiosaur," she elaborated. The man shot her an amused look, making her bristle. His eyes then narrowed.

"Wait, I know what this is," he realised. "You're hunting for Taniwha, aren't you?" Dr. Runga accused.

"What's a Taniwha?" Tyler frowned.

"Uh, Taniwha is a New Zealand myth," Chase explained. "Like the Loch Ness Monster," he told them.

"It's an ancient creature that lurked in oceans and rivers," Teddie added. Dr. Runga rolled his eyes impatiently.

" _Experts_ , like myself," he spoke up as he rolled up his sleeve. "Suspect that _if_ Taniwha actually existed, they were really Plesiosaurs," he showed off the Plesiosaur tattoo up his bicep.

"Oh, pretty cool bro," Chase smiled.

"That's a Taniwha?" Koda turned the man's arm to examine it more closely.

"It does rather resemble a Plesiosaur," Ivan agreed.

"So...Plesiosaurs would have lived where...did you say?" Shelby asked him, trying to sound casual.

"Coastlines, islands, sea caves," Dr. Runga listed as he rolled his sleeve back down, and laughed. "Good luck," he spoke sarcastically, walking away. "Let's get one of me in the dig," he called to the photographer, clearly done with the group.

"Wow, what a nice guy," Teddie's voice dripped with sarcasm as she turned and walked away.

"So coastlines, islands, sea caves," Tyler listed as the others followed. "That's where we'll look," he told them.

* * *

"Man, can you believe what a jerk that guy was?" Olivia huffed as the Rangers walked along the beach together. "I'd love to stick his book right up his-"

"Have fun with Dr. Runga?" Olivia jumped, whirling around as Ari and Spencer approached.

"Hey guys," Tyler smiled as they stopped. "What brings you here?" he asked.

"Yeah, why'd you come all the way out here?" Chase asked, curious as to why Ari had decided to join them.

"I think I can help locate the Plesio Zord," Ari admitted, taking them by surprise.

"What? How? Did you make some kind of tracking device?" Shelby asked her, wondering why she'd arrived empty handed.

"Nope," Ari shook her head, walking past them and towards the tide.

"Do you want to share with the class?" Teddie asked her as they followed.

"The Dino Gem," Ari started as she spoke, looking out at the sea. "The ones that turned me and the others into the Dino Thunder Rangers, they were found in a meteor that was one of the ones that wiped out the dinosaurs," she told them. "Doctor O never figured out just how they got their powers, but I've had a suspicion for a while. And it only raised my suspicions when you found the Gold Energem," Ari glanced to Ivan, who frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Riley asked, not understanding.

"I think I get it," Shelby commented, folding her arms. "You think the Energems somehow gave your Dino Gems their powers," she considered.

"Got it in one Shelby," Ari nodded, turning to them. "Before the dinosaurs went extinct, 12 bonded with Energems. So I believe that the power passed from them, to the Dino Gems. Hence why I felt a pull towards the Gold Energem," she gestured as Ivan removed it from under his shirt.

"But then why do you think you'll be able to find the Plesio Zord?" Olivia asked, tilting her head.

"Because the Gold Dino Gem had the spirit of the Plesio," Ari explained.

"But then why would it be connected to the Energems, when the Gold Energem has the spirit of the Pterodactyl, and the Purple Energem has the spirit of the Plesiosaur?" Teddie asked, not understanding.

"Well, there weren't as many Dino Gems as there were Energems. So I think some of the powers merged or changed, like how the Blue Dino Gem had the spirit of the Tricera, and that there was a Yellow Dino Gem with the Ptera Zord, maybe some of the power that went to the Gold Dino Gem meant that the power of the Ptera went to a yellow stone? And that there were Brachio and the Tupuxuara/Drago Zords? To be honest, I'm still trying to figure it all out," Ari admitted, running a hand through her hair.

"It does make a lot of sense though," Spencer agreed.

"Yeah it does. So that's what you've been working on," Tyler commented.

"Yup. Working with Doctor O and Ethan when I can," Ari shrugged, and looked out at the sea again. She closed her eyes, and took in a breath. "I can sense _something_ out there, but what...I'm not too sure if it's the Plesio or not. Though we'd be closer from that beach," she told the Rangers, gesturing to the beach on the far horizon.

* * *

" _How's the search going_?" Kendall contacted the group as Ivan and Koda searched from the sky in the Ptera Zord. Riley and Chase were speeding down the beach further away on their Dino Cycles.

"Come on...come on..." Tyler scanned the sea with his binoculars.

"We're at Takapuna Beach, but there's no sign of-"

"Something's coming guys!" Ari's warning came just as the Purple Energem began to glow in Shelby's pocket.

"Guys!" Shelby lifted it as the Energem shone as brightly as it had done when it was bonded with Tanner.

"Get here fast," Tyler contacted the others.

"What's going on? Is it the Plesio?" Teddie questioned as she approached Shelby and Tyler. They heard a massive splash, followed by a roar, and looked up to see the Plesio Zord bursting out from under the water.

"That's awesome!" Olivia laughed as Shelby filmed the Zord on her phone.

"Uh, problem!" Spencer yelled, pointing up. They looked to the sky, and their eyes widened as they saw meteors flying down from the sky. One hit the Plesio Zord, and it roared in pain as Ari stumbled, a hand to her head.

"It's being attacked!" she shook it off, before they heard a laugh and looked around. Fury and Meteor stood on a hill nearby.

"Destroy the Zord, before it can escape!" Fury ordered.

"Oh come on, _again_?" Teddie complained. "Can't you monsters stay destroyed?" she demanded. More meteors flew from the sky, but the Plesio dove underwater to avoid them.

"You missed again!" Fury huffed.

"Well, it slipped away," Meteor defended himself.

"We came as fast as we could!" the rest of the Rangers arrived Morphed.

"The Zord was right out there in the water," Shelby gestured to the water.

"We'll find it again, right now, you need to focus on getting these two away before they destroy it," Ari warned.

"Sledge keeps sending monsters we already defeated," Riley shook his head. "He must be out of ideas," he mocked.

"I'll promise, you'll never get control of that Zord," Fury vowed.

"You really shouldn't make promises you can't keep!" Shelby warned, furious that they'd attack the Zord. "It's Morphing Time! Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the rest of the Rangers Morphed, and they stood against the two.

"You won't defeat me this time!" Meteor growled.

"Oh yeah?" Tyler scoffed.

"Vivix! Fire!" Meteor ordered, and the Vivix all attacked. However, their blasts bounced off shields raised by Ari, Spencer and Chase, landing harmlessly away from the ground.

"Attack!" the fighting broke out, and Tyler smashed the meteors that shot down towards them easily. As Ivan faced Fury, the others defeated the Vivix easily and stood together.

"Let's use the Dino Spike to finish him off!" Shelby suggested.

"Great idea! Dino Charger, ready!" Tyler called. "Weapons combine!" he tossed the Dino Charger into the air, and the Dino Spike formed for him to grab onto. "Dino Spike, Final Strike!" Tyler slammed into the monster, but it didn't destroy him, simply tossing him to the ground where his rocky armour smoked dangerously.

"Fine, I'll protect you," Fury rolled his eyes as he stood in front of Meteor.

"Watch out!" Ivan warned, but Fury's blast knocked them all off their feet.

"We have to beat the Rangers to the Plesio," Fury then turned to Meteor, hauling him back up.

"But how? We have no idea where it's hiding," the monster complained. Fury just gave a small laugh.

"I know who can help us. Come on," he ordered, and they walked off.

"Where did they go?" Tyler questioned as they got back up.

"They've seen the Plesio Zord," Shelby gulped.

"Oh dear, if they find it before we do, they could destroy it," Ivan warned.

"Then we'll have to get there first and protect it!" Teddie shook her head, not about to let them win.

* * *

" _I've analysed Shelby's video,_ " Kendall told the team. " _Judging from the sounds the Zord made...I think it may be sick_ ," she warned them.

"Why would it be sick?" Riley asked as they filled up, regaining the energy they'd need to fight Fury and Meteor.

" _Once awakened, some Zords need to be in contact with their Energems. I noticed it with Teddie's, and Tyler's_ ," Kendall said, and the Red and White Rangers exchanged surprised looks. " _This one hasn't been near the Purple Energem since Tanner bonded with it. It may be too weak to survive much longer_ ," Kendall admitted worriedly.

"That's why it appeared for Shelby. You were holding onto the Purple Energem," Chase pointed out. "It needed energy," he said.

"Kendall and Chase are right," Ari agreed. "I could only get a faint connection to the Plesio Zord, since it's not really something I'm bonded with, and the Dino Gem's lost their powers a long time ago. But from that faint connection, I could tell, it's only got about two days left in it, before it's lost forever," Ari warned them.

"Then we better get going," Tyler nodded as they all stood, except for Shelby.

"I'll meet you back at the car," she told them.

* * *

After searching a cave, the group gathered together again.

"No sign over there," Riley shook his head.

"I've not found any kind of energy," Ari told them.

"There's nothing down the way either," Tyler confirmed as Ivan and Chase approached.

"'Twas a dead end, no Zord," Ivan told them when they looked at him hopefully.

"We got nothing either. There's no Zord near here," Teddie and Olivia reached them. Spencer's Morpher suddenly beeped, and he answered it quickly.

"What's up?" he asked as he walked away from the group. " _What_?!" his voice echoed around the cave, and he looked at the group as they glanced up curiously. "Can you send it to my phone please? Thanks Kat," Spencer sighed, returning his Morpher to his side.

"What's wrong?" Chase asked.

"We might not have found anything, but Kat has. A news report is going viral. It says that 'a living Plesiosaur has been found in New Zealand'," Spencer announced, and glanced to Shelby apologetically. "It's Dr. Runga," he told her.

"Dr. Runga?" the Pink Ranger repeated in disbelief as Spencer's phone beeped.

"There's proof too," he opened the message from Kat, and their eyes widened as they saw a picture of the Plesio in the water.

"That's from _my_ video! He stole it!" Shelby realised, shaking in her anger.

"He's holding a press conference today at his dig site. He's going to show off the full video," Spencer warned them.

"We'll see about that," Shelby growled, storming past him out of the cave.

* * *

"Just how did this creep get Shelby's video?" Spencer asked as they let Shelby talk with the man by herself.

"She said he approached her to apologise," Tyler told the others, frowning. "He offered her his autograph, but when she came back with a pen, he was gone," he glared at the man, who didn't look remotely apologetic as Shelby confronted him.

"He must have grabbed her phone...but how would he have known she had it?" Teddie wondered.

"Right now, we need to hope that this guy will call off the conference," Chase shook his head, folding his arms. "Mum's still out looking for the Plesio, so we need to hope she can find it before anyone else," he told them.

"He's going to tell the world," Shelby warned as she returned, tears lingering in her eyes.

"What shall we do?" Ivan worried.

"We need to find the Plesio Zord. Fast," Shelby told them as they got back into the car and started driving.

"Contact Ms. Morgan, she might have more info for us," Spencer suggested. Tyler nodded, and lifted his Dino Comm.

" _When you last saw the Plesio Zord, it went underwater. It was travelling south, from what I could tell. There are two sea caves approximately six miles south of where you spotted her_ ," Kendall informed them as she looked between her tablet and the console. " _I've sent Ari the co-ordinates as well_ ," she told them.

"We're on our way," Tyler nodded, ending the call. They pulled up on the beach, and got out as Ari ran over.

"No luck so far," she told them as Shelby pulled the Purple Energem from her pocket.

"It's glowing," she called out as it began to shine again.

"Then we must be close," Chase realised. Their Comms began to beep again, and Koda grabbed his.

" _I've narrowed it down to one cave big enough to hold a Zord. Go north_ ," Kendall instructed.

"Okay, we go North," Koda nodded. As most began to run North, Ivan stopped as he saw Koda running in the opposite direction.

"Koda! We're in New Zealand!" he reminded the caveman as Teddie giggled, standing beside him. "North's this way," he pointed out. Koda smiled in embarrassment, jogging back over.

"Don't worry. Ivan still can't get over that the Earth isn't flat," Teddie told the Blue Ranger.

"It's a lot to process when that's what you're taught!" Ivan defended, going red.

"Oh yes, why they change that?" Koda wondered.

They ran towards a cave, slowing to a stop outside it. "This must be it," Koda looked around, seeing no other caves. The Purple Energem started to shine again.

"Yeah, she's here alright," Ari nodded. They heard a roar inside, but as most were distracted, Ari turned to the man who stood behind them.

"A living dinosaur," Dr. Runga breathed in awe. "I need to see it," he decided, walking towards the cave. Ari grabbed his wrist, twisting it behind his back.

"This isn't a get famous quick scheme. We're not here for the publicity. So back off," she pushed him back away from the cave.

"You're right. It's not about press conferences, or magazine covers," Dr. Runga sighed, rubbing his wrist. "I've been digging for fossils my whole life, because when I was a kid, all I ever dreamed about was meeting a real dinosaur. And Shelby reminded me of that," he smiled at Shelby, who couldn't help but smile back.

"Doesn't change the fact he was a total jerk," Olivia muttered, and Chase elbowed her. "Well it's true," she grumbled as he couldn't help but smile, agreeing with her.

"Thanks to you, I finally get to meet one," Dr. Runga didn't seem to hear her.

"But..." he paused as Shelby spoke up. "It's not a Dinosaur," she admitted hesitantly. Dr. Runga frowned.

"Yes it is, I've seen the video," he argued. They all exchanged looks, and sighed.

"Shelby, we gotta tell him," Tyler told her softly as Shelby hesitated.

"Yeah, cause once he sees it, he's gonna know it's not a real dino," Teddie nodded with a small smile. "It's a Zord," she told the confused man.

"The Plesio Zord to be precise," Riley nodded.

"Wait, I don't understand," Dr. Runga frowned. "Only Power Rangers use Zords," he pointed out, and they exchanged amused smiles.

"That's correct," Chase nodded.

"Only Rangers use Zords," Olivia repeated.

" _Only_ Rangers," Spencer chuckled. Catching on, Dr. Runga's eyes then widened.

"So, if you're after the Zord, then you must be-"

"The Zord is very weak," Shelby cut him off. "We're here to heal her with this," she held up the Purple Energem.

"But he said you'd discovered a living dinosaur," Dr. Runga frowned, and they blinked, not understanding what he meant.

"What scoundrel told you that?" Ivan demanded.

"Let me guess. Looks kinda like a sabretooth tiger wearing a loincloth with a big jagged sword?" Ari guessed, and the others glanced to her. "Cause unfortunately, he's right behind us," she sighed, turning around to see Fury approach with Meteor.

"Fools!" Fury mocked. "Thanks Doc, we can take it from here!" he laughed.

"I'm so sorry, I've led him right to you," Dr. Runga groaned. "I didn't know he was following me," he insisted.

"Let's destroy the Zord and get outta here!" Meteor decided. "Vivix! Attack!" he summoned the creatures, and the Rangers fell into a fighting stance.

"Come on, let's get away from this," Ari grabbed Dr. Runga's wrist and pulled him towards the cave, away from the fighting.

"Who are you?" Dr. Runga asked as she stopped by a rock, pushing him behind it.

"A concerned party," Ari replied shortly, glancing to the cave as she felt a pull not unlike when she was in contact with the Gold Energem.

"For who?" Dr. Runga frowned, but Ari didn't answer.

"It's Morphin' Time!" Shelby shouted. "Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"SPD, EMERGENCY!" the Rangers all Morphed, and Shelby gasped as the Purple Energem began to glow again.

"Go, get it it to the Plesio Zord!" Tyler told her. Shelby nodded and ran to the cave, following Ari as she stepped into the cave. Chase and Riley blocked the path of the Vivix that tried to stop Shelby, allowing her to reach the cave.

"This way," Ari led Shelby through the cave, before they were blasted off their feet. Meteor laughed as he walked in, and the two looked up.

"I'm going to destroy that Zord, get the Purple Energem, and the Pink one too," Meteor declared.

"Not a chance," Ari stood up, falling into a fighting stance.

"I won't let him get it!" Dr. Runga called, running into view and grabbing the Purple Energem.

"You!" Meteor snarled. "Give it to me, or I'll roast you!" he threatened.

"Throw it into that cavern," Ari instructed the man, standing in front of him as Shelby struggled to get to her feet. "The Zord needs it. Trust us," she told him, and he nodded. Hurling it through the air, Dr. Runga watched as it flashed, and a powerful roar echoed through the cave. Ari stumbled as she felt the pull again, feeling the energy behind it.

"The Zord's re-energising!" Meteor gulped in horror.

"It's fantastic," Dr. Runga breathed.

"You did it, Dr. Runga," Shelby smiled as Ari helped her up. "I'm proud of you," she told him, and he nodded, smiling back. Hearing a crash, they looked around as the Zord began to charge up, and Meteor ran from the cave shrieking. Shelby, Ari and Dr. Runga ran out after him as the cave began to glow purple.

"They did it!" Teddie realised as she looked up, having been shoved to the ground by Meteor. The Plesio Zord roared as it flew out of the cave, blasting Meteor into the air and into the distance.

"That hot-head's a failure once again!" Fury snarled. "But I'll get the blame!" he growled.

"Plesio Zord all better now," Koda said as they watched the Zord flying around.

"It's so cool. I want a Dino Zord," Spencer complained, before pausing. "Not that there's anything wrong with my Zord, nope," he shook his head quickly, laughing nervously.

"What's with you?" Olivia asked, frowning.

"You never know when Kat's watching," he whispered.

" _I heard that, Spencer_ ," the feline alien spoke through his communicator, making him gulp.

"It might not have been a real dinosaur, but it was..."

"Awesome?" Tyler suggested with a grin.

"Exactly," the man laughed. Their comms suddenly beeped, making them look down.

" _Meteor is attacking the city_ ," Kendall warned.

"We've got trouble," Chase told the others. "Let's try catching a ride on the Plesio Zord," he suggested. The Dino Charge Rangers ran off, leaving Dr. Runga with Ari and Spencer, who demorphed and stretched.

"Dr. Runga!" Shelby suddenly ran back. "It was so great to meet you," she told him. The man smiled back.

"You too Shelby. Your secret's safe with me," he promised, making her smile. "And thanks, for reminding me what really matters," Dr. Runga told her, making Shelby laugh slightly, blushing.

"See ya," she waved, turning and running off to join the others.

"You better come with us to somewhere safe," Spencer told him as he watched Shelby run off.

"Right," he nodded, and frowned as they were walking away. "You're SPD. Why are you here?" he asked curiously. Spencer sighed heavily, not looking forward to the explanation.

"Dino Drive, Activate!" the Rangers called on their enhanced powers as they leapt into the Plesio Zord. "Battle mode!"

"Plesio Zord! Great to finally meet you," Shelby smiled, and the Zord roared in agreement.

"I think she likes you," Teddie told the Pink Ranger, who smiled excitedly at the thought.

"You can't stop me!" Meteor roared as he spotted the Zord flying towards him.

"Shoot him into space where he belongs!" Shelby cheered. Meteor let out a cry as he was tossed up through the air and into space, and they followed him.

"Nice job, but he's not done yet," Tyler warned.

"Activate Plesio Charge Megazord!" the Zord changed forms, becoming a Megazord.

"Whoa, this is awesome!" Teddie cheered.

"Steady..."

"Brace yourselves!" Tyler called. They slammed into Meteor and punched him repeatedly, shoving him back further.

"Deal with this! Spiral Galaxy Blast!" Meteor fired multiple meteors at them.

"Plesio Rocket Punch!" they tossed a fist at Meteor, destroying the comets flying towards them before slamming into the monster and making him stagger, sparking.

"Let's make space his final frontier!"

"Three...two...one..." the Rangers charged up the blaster.

"Galactic Blast!" Shelby yelled as they fired a powerful finishing attack. Meteor screamed as it slammed into him, destroying him, and the Rangers cheered at another victory.

* * *

The Rangers flew through the air in the Plesio Zord, leaving New Zealand behind as they flew back to Amber Beach.

"Sad to say goodbye to New Zealand?" Shelby asked Chase and Teddie.

"Yeah, but it's okay. We'll come back soon," Chase shrugged.

"We gotta go see Tanner again," Teddie nodded in agreement.

"Then we're heading home!" Tyler cheered.

" _Nice work Rangers, I'm very impressed you retrieved both the Purple Energem, and the Plesio Zord_ ," Kendall smiled.

"We get stronger every day!" Riley grinned.

"Soon, we make Sledge extinct too!" Koda spoke up, and the rest cheered loudly.

* * *

As the Plesio Zord flew overhead, the figure in the tree whistled.

"Now that's some firepower," he commented in a light voice, sounding impressed. Pushing his blond hair from his face, he revealed his long, pointed ears, and smirked. "And did you see who was helping the Rangers?" he glanced down to the other, who was leaning against the trunk of the tree with his arms folded. His hair was bright red and stood up, and his expression was indifferent.

"The Golden Warrior and her son," he spoke quietly, his voice deep and rumbling.

"Exactly. How about we gain some extra power, and exactly what we've been waiting for for almost twenty years?" the Elf in the tree asked, leaping down. His companion simply nodded. "Good, let's go," he chuckled, leading him away.

* * *

 **Oh, so what's gonna be happening next?**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	22. Unwelcome Return

Chapter 22: Unwelcome Return

The Rangers gathered around as Kendall examined the Purple Energem, fascinated by her chance to study an unbonded Energem. Every other one she'd encountered had already been bonded and had constantly shone with power. The Purple Energem didn't shine anywhere near as brightly, and was cold to the touch, unlike the rest.

"What do we do now?" Arianna wondered, sitting on the counter nearby as Nerida butted at her for attention. "Isn't it dangerous to have an unbonded Energem?" she questioned.

"Very," Kendall agreed. "If Sledge gets his hands on this, it would be unlimited power for him," she warned, looking up. "We need to find someone for this to bond to," she told the team.

"But who?" Tyler wondered.

"Yeah, who can we trust with this?" Riley questioned. Kendall frowned, not sure what to say. They'd never been in the situation before. The rest of the Energems found had bonded with the one who'd discovered them.

"What about Arianna?" Teddie suggested, and they looked to the Mercurian as her eyes widened.

"Wh-what? N-no, I couldn't," she refused quickly, looking terrified at the thought.

"What about Ari?" Koda suggested, looking over at Ari as she comforted Arianna.

"No thank you. I've done my time. And Purple isn't really my colour," Ari chuckled, shaking her head. "Ivan stole mine," she teased, and Ivan smiled back at her, before glancing to his Gold Energem as it shone in the Crystal Beds.

"Well, what about you, Spencer?" Kendall asked, taking the young man by surprise. He blinked at her, looking startled at the offer. He then shook his head.

"No thanks. I'm SPD Gold, I don't really have time to take on even more," he refused, looking away. "I need some air," he muttered, turning and walking away, hands shoved in his pockets.

Sitting outside on a bench, Spencer sighed heavily.

"Should I even be an SPD Ranger right now?" he wondered to himself as he looked down at his hands. He didn't feel any different. After Annie had snapped him out of Omni's mind control before, he'd been fine, and thought that was it, until they'd been chasing a criminal down a few months later.

 _"Sky, Spencer, he's coming your way!" Z warned as she and Annie chased down a criminal running through the city._

 _"On it," Sky responded, and fired a blast at the alien's feet, forcing him to stop. He let out a growl, glaring at them._

 _"Give it up," Spencer warned as he held up his Morpher. "You've been found guilty of multiple thefts and counts of assault too," he announced as the others reached them. The alien let out another growl._

 _"Guys, watch out, he clones!" Bridge yelled, right as the alien split apart into seven beings, and rushed the Rangers._

 _"Great, would have been nice to know that earlier," Syd complained as she ducked under a punch._

 _"Hindsight is a bitch Syd," Annie laughed as she flipped her opponent._

 _"You say that when we're on a team with not one but two psychics," Kayden pointed out as he kicked out, hitting the alien attacking him, but he recovered quickly and tackled Kayden to the ground._

 _"Didn't see that coming though, did you?" Annie couldn't resist in calling over._

 _"I hate you," Kayden shouted back._

 _"Just stop resisting!" Spencer caught his own opponent's wrist and twisted, but the alien kicked out and forced him to let go, before punching him hard across the face. Spencer let out a yell as he staggered, the pain much greater than it should have been. His eyes opened, flashing gold, and with another yell he punched the alien so hard that it vanished, returning to the original._

 _"Spencer! What's wrong?" Sky shouted over to the Gold Ranger, who stumbled again._

 _"I don't know..." Spencer groaned, before yelling out another yell and rushing at the one fighting Kayden, kicking him hard and tossing him into the air._

 _"What's with this strength?" Kayden wondered as he got back up. "Spencer, dude-"_

 _"Stay away from me!" Spencer pulled away from the new Green Ranger. "I can't...it's trying to...take over..." he managed to say, and let out a scream. A shockwave pulsed from him, tossing everyone to the ground and reducing the rest of the clones to dust. He then stumbled, and fell forwards, landing on the ground as he blacked out._

Spencer shook his head again, trying to get away from the memory of the first time it had happened. Kat had been working to try and get rid of the remnant in his head, but she had failed. Now he was working with Leánbow, who had a lot of experience with someone being in his head, but it was a slow process. He'd called over to New Zealand with Ari to help the Rangers search for the Plesio Zord, and to help protect the unbonded Energem.

"I'm sorry, if suggesting you bonding with the Purple Energem was inappropriate," he looked up as Kendall approached, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He couldn't stop his cheeks from warming, unable to deny the crush he had on the beautiful scientist.

"It wasn't. I'm sorry for being rude about it," he looked down at his hands again, and felt his stomach jump as she sat down beside him.

"Want to talk about it?" she offered, and blushed when he shot her a surprised look. She knew she wasn't known for the heart-to-hearts. That was Ari or even Arianna. She was the brains, not the heart. Spencer then chuckled.

"Thanks, I appreciate the offer, but I'll be fine," he smiled at her. Kendall blushed even darker as his green eyes met her dark ones. "And thank you, for not talking about what happened last time," he added, and she remembered the strange episode he'd had. "You asked me if I would bond with the Purple Energem, but did you consider yourself?" Kendall stiffened at Spencer's innocent question.

"I..." she shook her head. "No. I'm not like the others. I'm good with making the equipment, but using it..." she trailed off, shaking her head again. "It's impossible," she insisted.

"Is it?" she met Spencer's gaze. "You're great with the equipment, and I know the Rangers wouldn't have gotten this far without you, but is that really all you want?" he asked her. Kendall didn't reply, breaking eye contact. "I'm sorry, that was too much," Spencer apologised quickly

"It's fine," she told him, before clearing her throat. "I should probably get back inside, and-" she stopped as two figures approached, and Spencer looked around, his eyes widening.

"Spencer Bly, isn't it?" the blond asked with a pleasant smile, but it wasn't that he knew Spencer's name that got their attention. Their ears were long and pointed, and their pale eyes that were almost on par with Arianna's.

"Elves? Here?" Spencer muttered, and Kendall shot him a surprised look. "Who are you and what do you want?" he asked, his voice much more wary than Kendall expected.

"My, such hostility," the blond chuckled, clearly the speaker of the pair. "I'm merely here for a chat. My name is Dorian, and my companion here is Maeron," he told them. They approached, and Spencer stood, standing in front of Kendall protectively. "My, I assume from such defensive actions that you distrust us. Perhaps because of what happened before you were born?" Spencer stiffened.

"What's he talking about?" Kendall asked curiously.

"Leave us alone," Spencer warned the two, and the Elf chuckled.

"See, that's the thing," he shrugged as his partner stood beside him. "We can't. We're looking for power, and we know you have it. Either with that Zord that recently returned to Amber Beach...or through yourself," he gestured to Spencer.

"Why do you want power?" Kendall frowned at them, peering around Spencer.

"You see, about twenty years ago, our King was dethroned. And we want him back," he explained with a pleasant smile that instead sent a shiver down Kendall's spine.

"Take that up with the Queen," Spencer told him firmly. "And leave us alone," he warned.

"I already told you, we can't. So either you help us, or we'll make you," the Elf warned.

"Ms. Morgan, get back to the base," Spencer warned Kendall over his shoulder.

"What, but you-" she couldn't even argue before the Elves suddenly rushed them, making her gasp in alarm. Spencer blocked them with his shield, and as they stumbled back, he dropped it, running at them and kicking the Maeron before spinning and punching Dorian away.

"Spencer!" Kendall called as the two recovered quickly and knocked him back.

"Go!" he shouted at her, and Kendall turned, running back to the museum. With a chuckle, Dorian threw out a hand, an a powerful blast of lightning magic slammed the ground by her, exploding and tossing the scientist into the air with a scream. She landed heavily, and Spencer's eyes widened.

"Kendall!" he shouted, but as he turned to run to her, Maeron's fist slammed into his jaw. Spencer was lifted off his feet by the blow, and crumpled to the ground.

"My, I would have thought the son of the Golden Warrior would be a lot more powerful," Dorian scoffed, before his eyes widened as a pulse of power burst from the Gold Ranger.

"You..." Spencer got to his feet, his eyes shining golden. He glanced to Kendall, who hadn't moved, and he put his hands to his head. "No...no...you _won't_ take control again!" he yelled, and there was another pulse as he bent over, crying out.

"What is going on?" Dorian questioned as Maeron stood beside him, looking confused. After a moment, the pulsing faded, and Spencer straightened up with a loud laugh.

" _Finally_ , I get control," he chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "I must thank you two idiots, for thinking that you would get me to help your pathetic quest," Spencer smirked, and was suddenly in front of Dorian before he could blink. He let out a grunt, the light in his eyes fading as Spencer punched him in the stomach hard, and he collapsed, unconscious, as Spencer moved aside. Maeron lashed out, but Spencer dodged it and kicked him across the pathway, sliding to a stop by the road.

"Kendall!" the Rangers rushed out and to Kendall's side as the scientist finally came to, a hand to her head as it hurt.

"Oh, look who finally showed up," they all looked up in surprise as Spencer spoke, a twisted smirk across his face as his eyes shone bright gold.

"What...what's going on?" Teddie frowned.

"Who are those guys? What happened here?" Tyler asked, approaching Spencer, who's smirk widened.

"Stop!" Chase moved in front of him quickly, raising a shield as Spencer threw a punch. It shattered the shield and clipped Chase, tossing the Black Ranger to the ground.

"Chase!" Teddie and Olivia hurried to him as he groaned, a hand to his face as the pain pulsed through his jaw.

"What are you doing Spencer?!" Riley demanded.

"That not Spencer," Koda growled.

"At least one of you caught on," Spencer snorted. "And it was the caveman," he mocked, and Koda growled.

"You hurt Chase. You hurt family. You not Spencer!" Koda threw a punch, but he bounced off Spencer's shield and stumbled, falling to the ground.

"Koda's right," Ari spoke as she helped Kendall up, her glowing fading after healing her. "That's not Spencer. Omni, let him go," she called, but Spencer just laughed.

"Not a chance. Most of my being may have been destroyed by Doggie Kruger and the Power Rangers, but this body is mine now, and I'll make them pay!" he laughed, before streaking off in a flash of light.

"Where'd he go?" Ivan frowned as they looked around.

"I think he'll be headed for New Tech City," they looked at Kendall in surprise. "He said that he was going to make them pay. I think he meant SPD," she deduced.

"She's right," Chase said as he stood, with Ari healing his jaw. "And we need to stop him," he said, and the others nodded.

"You sure about this?" Ari asked them carefully. "SPD have Rangers too," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but he's our brother," Teddie spoke up. "And the SPD Rangers are now a Ranger down. We need to help them," she insisted.

"Okay, then I'll call Annie and warn her. Let's go," Ari told them.

* * *

"Spencer's Ranger signal has just arrived in the city," Kat announced, glancing to Sky as he sat in the Commander's seat. Even after a few months, it was strange for him to be seated there. Everyone had welcomed the idea of him being the new Commander, but even so, it was strange.

"The newbies are heading here too, they shouldn't be too long," Annie called over.

"Do you have to call them that? It's a little mean," Syd told her, but Annie just shrugged. Sky cleared his throat, leaning forwards.

"Guys, remember this isn't a regular criminal out there. It's Spencer. We can't go easy on him because he's our friend," he warned them.

"Sky-Sir," Bridge corrected himself. "How can we stop this thing? I mean, Spencer, how can we stop him from, you know, destroying us and the city?" he questioned. Sky didn't answer straight away, deep in thought.

"I thought he was working on this. What happened to make him snap?" Z asked, glancing to Annie, who sighed.

"He'd been working with a wizard to control Omni in his head," she told them. Z glanced to Kayden, who shrugged, knowing she was still getting used to such things. "Ari said that a couple of Elves – the same ones who tried to steal Spencer when he was a baby, of all people – attacked him and the scientist Kendall Morgan who's working with the Dino Charge Rangers, and he lost it," Annie shook her head, and her worry for her best friend slipped through. Bridge reached over and took her hand.

"We'll stop him," Syd smiled at her, but couldn't hide her own worry.

"Annie, you were the one who got him back to normal last time," Sky remembered, looking to the Silver Ranger. "Do you think the same trick will work again?" he asked her.

"Maybe," Annie considered. "But he'll remember that, and he'll do what he can to stop me from doing the same move again," she added. The alarms suddenly blared, and Kat frowned.

"We have another problem. Sledge has sent an alien here," she announced.

"What?" Sky frowned, getting up and walking over. "Why would he do that? He's been targeting Amber Beach," he muttered.

"He attacked New Zealand the last few days too," Bridge added.

"He might have gotten word that we've got a problem Ranger, and since the Dino Charge Rangers are on their way here..." Kayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Maybe he's looking to try and take us all out," he considered.

"Yeah..." they glanced to the newest member of their team, a young man with messy ginger hair mostly tied out of his face with a green band. His big brown eyes were filled with confusion. "I have no idea what's going on. What made Spencer lose it? And why are these new Rangers involved?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry Jacob," Syd apologised with a smile as he scratched his head.

"In the fight against Omni, Spencer was brainwashed and forced to fight us," Kat explained as she handed Sky a box, shooting him a worried look. "Annie and his former teacher managed to break Omni's hold, but it seems a fragment remained in Spencer's mind, and when he takes a hit to the head, it starts to surface and gives him enhanced strength. However, this time, he was attacked, and Omni's taken total control over him," she summed up.

" _Right_..." Jacob nodded slowly, an eyebrow arched. "And these new Rangers?" he asked.

"Involve Teddie and Chase," Annie sighed, and Jacob blinked, knowing who they were from talking to Spencer. "He went to help them in New Zealand, Sky-Commander Tate - has him working with them as best he can, since we can't get too involved with Sledge threatening us," she explained.

"They want to help, since it's Spence and all," Kayden spoke up.

"Good, now get out there. You know Spencer's going to show up," Sky told them.

"Yes sir!" the group called, and ran to their vehicles. Sky sighed, looking at the contents of the box.

"I'm not sure how useful this will be, Sky," Kat admitted to him. "I've not had a chance to test it properly," she warned the Commander.

"The others are going to need help, and Spencer is still part of my team, even if I'm Commander now. I have to help," Sky shook his head, and smiled at her. "Thanks, Kat," he told her, heading out of the command centre. Kat smiled, despite her worry, proud of how much he had grown.

* * *

Pulling up on her bike, Annie flipped up the visor and looked around with Bridge, Kayden and Jacob as they stopped beside her, looking around. Behind them, Syd and Z pulled up in the jeep and jumped up.

"Any sign?" Z called as she held her blaster up.

"Nothing yet," Bridge shook his head.

"These were definitely the coordinates," Jacob commented as he got off his bike. "But it's quiet," he murmured.

"Too-" Bridge was cut off by Annie putting a hand to his mouth.

"How many times have I asked you not to go all stereotypical lines on me?" she asked him. He grinned back, pulling her hand down.

"Sorry, can't resist," he admitted, and Annie rolled her eyes with a smile, climbing off her own bike. They looked around as Kayden suddenly let out a cry, and they saw him hit the ground.

"Kayden! You alright?" Bridge called as they ran over to him.

"Fine..." he grumbled. "I just wish it wasn't always me," he complained.

"You are a magnet for it," Annie commented, earning a feeble glare from her cousin.

"So you lot are the SPD Rangers I've heard about," they looked up as a cat-like creature walked towards them, holding a jagged sword in his claws. "Nothing impressive," he sneered. "Master Sledge has requested your destruction, since you can't stay out of our way," he announced.

"I figured that'd happen eventually," Bridge commented lightly, before raising his Morpher. "You're under arrest!" he warned.

"Hah! Try and stop me!" the alien challenged, swinging his sword. "Fury's Roar!" the Rangers leapt out of the way of his lighting attack, which slammed into Kayden's bike.

"Dude!" the Blue Ranger yelled, seeing his bike on its side, smoking. "Not cool," he seethed.

"I don't think I've ever seen Kayden this upset," Jacob said as they got back to their feet.

"Me neither. Wonder if he'd get this way if it had been me," Z wondered.

"It _will_ be you!" the alien roared.

"Oh no it won't!" a blast flew through the air, just past Kayden's head, and slammed into the cat-like creature.

"Back off Fury," Tyler warned as the Dino Charge Rangers arrived.

"Hey guys, glad you made it," Bridge nodded to the other team.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world," Ivan declared.

"Any sign of Spencer?" Teddie asked.

"He's reached the city, but where, we don't know yet," Annie told her.

"I'll just destroy both of your pathetic teams!" Fury decided, holding his sword up. "Vivix!" he summoned the footsoldiers, who rose from the ground and chittered.

"Oh, now it's been a while since we've had this," Syd spoke as they fell into fighting stances again.

"Yeah, but they're different, they're not gonna be all 'ding, ding', and you know, spark and be full of-"

"Bridge!" the SPD Rangers chorused.

"Oh, sorry," he cleared his throat as Annie smiled in amusement.

"And I thought our Red Ranger was weird," Olivia commented mildly.

"Hey!" Tyler glanced to her, insulted.

"Well you are," the Forest Ranger defended with a shrug.

"Enough of this! _Attack_!" Fury ordered, and the Vivix ran at the two groups of Rangers. However, before they could reach them, another figure landed in the middle of the fight, and let out a roar. A shockwave burst from him, and the Rangers and Fury were thrown to the ground as the Vivix turned to dust. "What?!" Fury demanded as he looked up.

"Perfect..." Spencer smirked as he fixed his glasses. "Both SPD and Dino Charge Rangers. I'll destroy you all in one go!" he declared with a laugh.

"Whoa, evil Spencer is..."

"Scary," Syd finished for Bridge.

"Too bad the Commander doesn't have a Morpher. Would have been fun, fighting him too," Spencer commented idly. "I suppose I'll destroy him and the rest of SPD afterwards," he decided.

"Says who?" Sky called as he approached, tossing the box aside.

"Oh?" Spencer's eyes glittered as the Rangers got up and ran to the Commander.

"Sky? What are you doing? You don't have a Morpher any more," Syd reminded him as she reached his side. Sky glanced to her and smiled slightly, before becoming serious again.

"Kat gave me a prototype Morpher. It'll have to do, since we have one of our own to face, and this creep too," Sky glanced to Fury, who had gotten up too.

"I can handle Fury," Ivan told them confidently.

"Riley, you and Teddie help him," Tyler told the Green and White Rangers.

"What? But-"

"I get you want to help your brother, but you three are the best with swords, which is what we need against Fury," Tyler told her. "The rest of us will help snap Spencer out of it," he told her, putting a hand on her shoulder as Teddie hesitated. Sky nodded, impressed by the new Red's leadership.

"Okay," she nodded, agreeing with his strategy.

"Everyone ready?" Sky called as they stood together in a line.

"Ready!" the SPD Rangers called.

"Dino Chargers ready!" the Dino Charge Rangers held up their Chargers.

"SPD, EMERGENCY!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!" the two groups Morphed, and Sky grinned as the Morpher attached to his wrist worked, giving him a white and blue suit that filled him with the power he'd been lacking since he'd passed the Red Morpher to Bridge.

"One! SPD Red!"

"Two! SPD Blue!"

"Three! SPD Green!"

"Four! SPD Yellow!"

"Five! SPD Pink!"

"Seven! SPD Silver!"

"SPD Omega Ranger!"

"Rangers ready!"

"Space Patrol Delta!"

"Tyrannosaurus Rex, Power Ranger Red!"

"Parasaur, Power Ranger Black!

"Stegosaurus, Power Ranger Blue!"

"Velociraptor, Power Ranger Green!"

"Compsognathus, Power Ranger White!"

"Triceratops, Power Ranger Pink!"

"Scelidosaurus, Power Ranger Forest!"

"Pterodactyl, Power Ranger Gold!"

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight! Power Rangers Dino Charge!"

"Done with your role call?" Spencer smirked, lifting his own Morpher. He activated it, and it flashed, Morphing him into the Gold Ranger. "Because I'm getting bored just standing here!" he shot at the group, and Ivan, Riley and Teddie broke away to fight Fury as the others started to fight Spencer.

"Vivix!" Fury called on more of the creatures, and they joined the battle.

"Man," Jacob groaned as he shook off a punch from Spencer. "This dude really packs a punch. I'm glad he holds back in training," he muttered.

"He's getting a power boost from Omni. We need to snap him out of it," Sky told them.

"If we can get him to demorph, a hit to the head should be enough to help Spencer take control again," Bridge said as Spencer tossed Koda aside. "That's how he snapped out of it last time-whoa!" he ducked under Spencer's high kick, and rolled away as Annie punched Spencer in the chest, thunder cracking above as her punch gave off a shockwave. Spencer stumbled backwards, coughing.

"Nice punch, but I know you don't have many of those in you before they start to tire you out," he recovered, and Annie growled.

"I hated arrogant Spencer when he was on our side. This is unbearable," she complained.

"I'll stop you!" Tyler raced in and threw a punch that Spencer caught. He then threw out his other fist, and it turned into a grappling match. Putting his full strength in, Tyler shoved Spencer backwards, hauling him into the air.

"Oh, strength isn't everything, and grappling with a bull...is a mistake!" Spencer managed to get down and twisted, turning Tyler's strength against him to toss him into Sky and Kayden, knocking them to the ground.

"How about against another bull?" Spencer spun around, only for the ground to shake and throw him off balance, long enough for a hammer to slam against his chest. Spencer cried out as he hit a wall, sliding down. "I don't care how many times I have to do it Spencer, I'll knock sense into that hard head of yours," Minos warned as he stood with Ari and Philip, as well as an Elf woman with deep purple hair tied back, and pink eyes.

"You'll be trying for a while, he's got his father's hard head," Ari commented, wearing her own armour already. Minos snorted.

"You mean yours too. You pair are too stubborn," he complained, and his bull-like armour appeared around him.

"Who's this guy?" Shelby questioned.

"Minos!" Chase laughed as he got back to his feet and pulled Shelby to hers. "He's an old friend, and one of our teachers," he told the others.

"And Prince Philip is here too," Riley grinned.

"Arianna called and said you needed a hand," Philip nodded, already Morphed as well.

"Ain't that the truth," the Red Ranger laughed.

"It doesn't matter how many of you there are!" Spencer roared as he leapt up. He threw out his arms, and everyone was thrown backwards by another shockwave. "Omni is the only true power! The true _magnificence_!" he yelled.

"Omega Morpher!" Sky shouted, activating the Morpher. "Electro Mode!" he put his hand to the ground, and electricity pulsed from his hand and shot at Spencer, hitting the Gold Ranger and tossing him to the ground with a shout. It also threw Sky back, and he landed with a cry.

' _Sky, be careful_ ,' Kat's warning came through their communicators. _'I don't know how much you can push that Morpher before you hurt yourself or break it_ ,' she told him.

"Right...thanks Kat," Sky groaned, feeling the power already starting to drain. Spencer got back to his feet, growling.

"I'll destroy you all!" he vowed, but Ari's punch across his head made him stumble.

"No you won't!" she refused, and when Spencer recovered and went to counter her, but Alena leapt over Ari and slashed across his front with her spear, and kicked him backwards.

"Dino Morpher Blast!" Shelby clipped him in the back with her blaster, and he staggered.

"You won't beat me!" Spencer yelled, but was already weakening.

"Guys, what about RIC?" Jacob asked as he turned to his team-mates.

"Is it worth the risk?" Syd asked as she helped Sky back to his feet.

"I think we need to risk it. There's no way we can take him down otherwise," Bridge nodded.

"You're the boss, let's do it," Annie agreed.

"RIC!" Bridge grabbed the bone and tossed it into the air, and with a howl, the robotic dog ran into view and leapt up to catch it. He transformed, and the SPD Rangers caught him.

"Canine Cannon!" they called as the others scattered out of the way.

"That's not enough to stop me!" Spencer yelled, raising a shield.

"Then try this!" Tyler loaded a Black Charger into his blaster as Philip used his own.

"Ready?"

"Fire!"

"Dino Morpher Blast!"

"Royal Dino Punch!"

The three hits slammed into Spencer's shield, shattering it and pushing through into the Gold Ranger. The explosion tossed him through the air with a yell.

"Did...we get him?" Shelby asked slowly.

"Damn...dammit," the smoke cleared to show Spencer still on his feet, but his suit had shattered, leaving him vulnerable.

"Annie," Bridge called to the Silver Ranger, who nodded, she rushed in at Spencer, whose eyes narrowed. As he turned, tossing a ball of energy at her, another slammed into it, cancelling it out, and Ari kicked him backwards.

"You can't defeat me!" Spencer yelled, and Annie smirked.

"You've not beaten me once. Watch me," she told him, punching him hard across the face. Spencer staggered as his glasses clattered to the ground, and he followed with a thud.

"Oof, remind me never to get on her bad side," Jacob winced.

"Why do you think we refuse to spar with her?" Kayden chuckled as Annie cracked her knuckles, smirking.

"Fury's Roar!"

"Ptera Lightning Strike!" the two moves collided nearby and exploded, and as Ivan stumbled back, both Teddie and Riley rushed in and struck Fury across the chest as he staggered as well.

"You Rangers will pay! I will have your Energems!" he vowed, turning and running.

"Sure," Teddie rubbed her arm where he'd caught her with a powerful blow.

"He's all talk," Riley shrugged as they turned to see Spencer pushing himself into a sitting position.

"What...what's going on?" he muttered, a hand to his jaw. "Why's it...Annie," Spencer looked up at saw Annie in front of him Morphed. "Why is it always you?" the Gold Ranger complained, and Annie offered her hand.

"Because so far, I'm the only one who can keep you in check," she smirked.

"How's the head?" Ari asked Spencer as she healed his jaw.

"Fine...what's going..." he trailed off as he looked at the two groups of Rangers, as well as Minos and Alena. "Oh man, I lost it big time, huh?" he realised.

"Bigger than big time," Syd nodded with a smile. Spencer glanced at her, and double-took as he saw the Omega Ranger beside her.

"Sam?" he questioned, but Sky shook his head, laughing quietly.

"Let's just say we owe Kat even more," he told Spencer, who looked baffled.

* * *

Ari groaned as she walked into the base and pressed her face into Xander's chest.

"Told you things would work out," he told her, hugging her tightly. Nerida ran over to Olivia with a loud bark, wagging her tail happily. The Forest Ranger smiled brightly, crouching to pet her.

"How did it go?" Arianna asked as she and Kendall looked at them. Kendall's gaze immediately went to Spencer as he walked in, looking exhausted.

"Let's just say, I'm not sure who took more of a beating," Riley commented, and frowned as a woman passed him. She had long silver hair and long pointed ears.

"My lady," Alena bowed respectfully to her, and Zora smiled to her before reaching out and taking Mino's hand. He smiled back gently, a sight that was still strange to Ari, who couldn't forget when she'd first met him, when he was still on Dai Shi's side.

"Spencer," the Queen turned to the young man, who looked up from examining his broken glasses. "First, let me apologise for what happened out there. I knew Dorian and Maeron were dangerous, but I did not think they would approach you, or harm someone innocent," she inclined her head to Kendall, whose eyes widened in alarm.

"Ah you know...these guys sorted it," Spencer shrugged, gesturing to the Dino Charge Rangers.

"I'm glad," Zora smiled. "Spencer, if you would permit it, I may have a way for you to rid yourself of this...remnant," his green eyes widened in surprise. "I would not blame you if you were wary, I know my kind have not been very trustful," she chuckled.

"I..." Spencer glanced to Ari, who shrugged, looking surprised at the offer herself. "Sure, why not. Worth a shot," he agreed.

"And don't forget, I can just knock some sense into you if need be," Minos smirked.

"You will do no such thing," Zora warned.

"Thank you. Minos takes far too much pleasure in that," Ari shot him a frown, and he shrugged.

"Pardon me, but I didn't really get too much information from Arianna," Philip cleared his throat as they glanced to him. "What exactly is going on?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Shelby snorted. "We've been wondering that from day one," she shrugged, and the others couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

 **So after watching up to episode 8 of Ninja Steel, I've decided that after Dino Charge, Ninja Steel will be added in. RPM is going to be added as well, set in an alternate universe.**

 **Hope you liked this!**

 **Please review!**


	23. Wishing For A Hero

Chapter 23: Wishing For A Hero

Walking through town as the sun shone brightly above her, Kendall glanced around, looking mildly wary she strode along with purpose. There were a few people around, but nobody really paid her any heed as she walked past a couple of construction workers.

"Watch out!" one of the workers suddenly yelled, and Kendall looked around to see a huge block of cement hurtling towards her as the ropes holding it snapped. She froze, her eyes wide, before someone tackled her to the ground and out of harms way. Her bag flew through the air, and when it landed, several things fell from it, including the Purple Energem.

"You okay Miss?" the man asked as he helped her up.

"Thank you, that was so brave! You're a hero!" Kendall told him gratefully. He smiled at her and walked past to lift her bag and scattered belongings. He then turned to her, unaware of his audience as Koda leaned out of the crane and the others lifted their visors. Nearby, Arianna, Olivia and Teddie watched as well, pretending to be having their lunch together.

"Here you go," the man held out the Purple Energem, but it wasn't glowing. Trying to hide her disappointment, Kendall took her things and the others sighed heavily. No luck. "A hero shouldn't go unappreciated, right? How about a few bucks, you know? For saving your life?" he tried with a grin.

"You want money," Kendall stared at him. "For helping me?! That's not heroic at all!" she shouted, turning on her heel and storming off.

"Thanks for all your help mate," Chase handed him a note. The man laughed, walking off.

"Well, first attempt went well," Teddie spoke dryly as Kendall walked over to Chase.

"We need to find a hero for the Purple Energem to bond to. Let's do it again," she decided, and Chase nodded as she left. The Rangers reset, and Teddie, Olivia and Arianna continued to watch.

"Look out!" Ivan yelled, but this time as the concrete came at Kendall, Teddie was forced to streak in and knock her out of the way.

"No-one. Really?" Kendall huffed in frustration. Teddie shrugged, and they reset again.

They tried again and again, but nobody bonded with the Energem, which was frustrating Kendall more and more.

"I think she almost punched that guy when he asked to keep the Energem," Olivia commented as she took a drink. Teddie giggled, and they watched as a man saved Kendall by lifting her into his arms and easily dodging the concrete.

"Oh, this is promising," Arianna commented.

"His muscles are bigger than my head," Olivia arched her eyebrow.

"Thank you, you are a _lifesaver_ ," Kendall thanked, smiling with relief at the much larger man. She had her hand in her bag, ready to offer the Purple Energem, as the man smiled at her charmingly.

"I'd save anyone as pretty as you," he told her, and Kendall's smile faltered as he flirted with her. He then flexed for her. "Check out the gun show, huh?" he bragged.

"And it seems his muscles are bigger than his brain," Teddie couldn't help but laugh as Kendall stormed off, and the man blinked in confusion, watching her before shrugging and walking off.

"That's enough for today," she decided as they all grouped together.

"Hey, don't worry, Ms. Morgan," Riley tried. "I'm sure we'll find a new Purple Ranger," he told her.

"I hope," she sighed as they all started taking off the disguises they'd been wearing. "An unbonded Energem can be very dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands," she pointed out.

"We'll find someone," Teddie soothed.

"Yeah," Chase smiled. "And till then, we'll keep it safe," he vowed. Kendall nodded, but didn't look any less worried.

"And come up with a new plan," Riley added.

"Yeah, doesn't look like anyone heroic is gonna show up here," Arianna shook her head. They left the building site, unaware that they were being watched.

* * *

"So what we do now Kendall?" Koda asked as the group walked through the park where they were to meet the rest of the Rangers who hadn't been part of it.

"We keep trying?" she shrugged, and sighed. "I don't know _how_ or _when_ , but we will find a worthy Ranger," she spoke with determination.

"I don't think we should force it. I mean Philip tried that and it didn't work," Arianna pointed out.

"She has a point," Teddie agreed. "We'll find someone for the Purple Ranger to bond to, but trying too hard might just bring us the wrong person," she shrugged. Kendall didn't reply, thinking about it, and Teddie linked arms with Arianna. "Speaking of the Prince, when are you two finally going on a date? All you do is make eyes at each other," she complained.

"Teddie, one of these days, you will find someone you like, and we will torture you just as much," Chase warned with a roll of his eyes as Arianna blushed.

"Like you haven't before," Teddie retorted to her brother, who sighed.

"I'd stay out of it, she's been merciful so far," Olivia whispered to him as she took his hand, linking their fingers. Chase couldn't help but agree.

"Well?" Teddie looked back to the Mercurian still stuck in her grasp.

"It's hard finding a place that people don't recognise him," Arianna replied quietly, her cheeks still warm. Teddie squeezed her arm sympathetically, and released her.

"Discover secrets! Find romance with my wish cards!" a woman called from beside a booth, and as the Rangers walked by, she called out to them. "What do you desire? Money? Love? Find that special someone with my wish cards," she invited them.

"Wishing cards?" Riley repeated, immediately looking sceptical. Even Kendall couldn't hide her smile. "No thanks, we're not superstitious. Come on guys," the Green Ranger went to walk on, but Koda approached the vendor's cart.

"I am super squishiness," Koda declared.

"Does such sorcery actually work?" Ivan frowned.

"Frankly, no," Kendall told him abruptly.

"I'm surprised you two aren't getting into this," Olivia glanced to Chase and Teddie, who looked wary.

"Uh...we tend to avoid wishes and stuff," Teddie swallowed.

"Yeah," Chase nodded.

"Birthday cakes must be fun for you," Olivia arched an eyebrow. "It's just a bit of fun," she approached the vendor beside Koda and started writing on an orange card. Arianna shrugged and approached too.

"Come on guys," Riley tried as Ivan watched them curiously. "Wishes don't magically come true. Right guys?" he turned to Chase and Teddie.

"Hah. Funny story," Chase shook his head.

"Oh come on!" Riley groaned.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Tyler greeted as he, Shelby and Philip approached with Nerida, who immediately rushed over to Olivia.

"These guys are writing down their wishes thinking they'll actually come true," Riley rolled his eyes. "And these two are freaking out over it," he gestured to Chase and Teddie.

"We're not freaking out!" Chase frowned at him.

"We're just...wary," Teddie agreed.

"Wishing cards? Yeah, like that's gonna happen," Shelby rolled her eyes as the three at the booth placed their wishes into the box. "Koda, got you the Tropical Burger," the Blue Ranger gasped as his eyes lit up.

"That my wish!" he smiled as he grabbed the bag from her.

"No, that's not magic! You _always_ wish for a burger," Riley told him. Koda just nodded, still believing his wish came true, as Chase shivered. Teddie arched an eyebrow at him, seeing the action.

"Forget this wish stuff," he shook his head, grabbing Olivia's hand. "Oli, let's hit the beach. I've been wanting to try out surfing since I got to Amber Beach," her eyes were wide as he pulled her away. Her dog followed, wagging her tail, and Olivia glanced around at the others, mouthing something.

"Olivia, you made a wish about my brother? Equal parts gross and creepy," Teddie complained. As Arianna backed away, Ivan, Shelby and Tyler looked at each other, and immediately shoved their way over to the booth, fighting to be first.

"May all your wishes come true," the woman at the booth smiled as Riley and Kendall shook their heads.

"This is creepy," Teddie complained as she watched them, getting a bad feeling.

"What's your problem with wishes?" Kendall asked her. Teddie shuffled her feet.

"Something that my parents told us when we were kids," as she spoke, Arianna glanced around at Philip as he took her hand. He indicated for her to keep quiet, and the two slipped away as Tyler, Shelby and Ivan placed their wishes in the box as well, not noticing them all starting to glow.

"Honestly, it's just a legend. They don't come true," Riley insisted.

"Oh yeah?" Teddie arched an eyebrow. "Then how come my brother suddenly decided he wanted Olivia to teach him to surf?" she challenged.

"Spend more time with her?" Riley suggested. Teddie gave a small laugh.

"You might be right there, but notice that we're now missing two people?" he paused, not understanding, and looked around to see that Philip and Arianna were gone. "Bet I know Arianna's wish," Teddie sighed.

"No way, it's just insane!" Riley argued, and the two began to argue on the logic of wishes as the others wondered when theirs would come true, while Kendall was wondering just what was going on.

* * *

"Do you believe those wish cards truly work?" Philip asked as he and Arianna walked through the park.

"I think so," she nodded, looking ahead. "Olivia has wanted Chase to try surfing since he bragged that he'd be great at it," Arianna couldn't help but smile. "And Koda, well, he's always wanting a burger so I don't know how much we can trust that," the two laughed quietly.

"And you?" Philip asked as he caught her hand. Arianna immediately looked away, her face warming. Instead of answering, she just linked her fingers with his and they kept walking in a comfortable silence. "I'm surprised by how few people are around," he commented lightly, glancing at Arianna with an amused smile, watching her embarrassment grow.

"Do you think the others noticed we left?" she asked suddenly, trying to shift the topic.

"Probably, they're very observant when it comes to everyone else," Philip considered, making Arianna smile again.

"You're right," she agreed.

"So what do you suppose the others will wish for?" Philip asked her as they kept walking, enjoying the pleasant day. Summer was in full force, and the heat was much warmer than in Zandar, but still bearable for the Prince, who had taken a few extra days after returning to help with Spencer to stay in Amber Beach to try and get some time alone with Arianna.

"Well, Ivan's a knight, probably something heroic," Arianna guessed, and Philip agreed with her. "Tyler would most likely wish to find his dad. And Shelby..." she frowned as she thought about it. "Maybe to get a proper chance to prove herself to Ms. Morgan that she's good enough to be a dinosaur expert? I'm not sure," she considered.

"Perhaps something to do with a young man that once impersonated me?" Philip suggested lightly, and Arianna glanced at him in surprise. "I'm a little more observant than I seem too," he told her, making her laugh.

"You may be right. Everyone's supposed to be going on a picnic today, but something tells me everyone's going to be bailing on them," she said. They stopped at a bench, taking a seat and looking out at the beautiful park. "How's it been, back in Zandar?" Arianna asked softly, and Philip couldn't stop his soft sigh, letting his head fall to the side a little.

"It's been a slow progression," he admitted in a tired voice. Arianna squeezed his hand sympathetically. "I suppose my sudden change in personality has made things a little confusing for my family," Philip considered.

"It's a good change though. You're not nearly the mean Prince you seemed to be when we met," Arianna teased him, and the Graphite Ranger's face warmed.

"What _did_ you wish for, Arianna?" he challenged her, meeting her gaze and keeping a grip on her hand. She didn't look away, though pink started to mottle her pale features. She then sighed, offering an embarrassed smile.

"You know what I wished for," Arianna's voice was quiet as she shifted.

"I suppose it's a good thing you did, because I might have considered doing it myself," Philip admitted, leaning in closer and resting his forehead to hers. Arianna swallowed, her heart thumping against her chest as she let him, but as her eyes started to flutter closed, movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

"Philip," she turned her head away, and he drew back in surprise. "Over there," she murmured, and he glanced around to see a man snapping pictures. He sighed, and stood up, shooting the man an irritated look as he pulled Arianna up.

"Forgive me, I should have known there'd be someone watching," he murmured as they walked away.

"It's okay," Arianna shook her head. Her heart was still pounding wildly. They were quiet, and Philip stumbled as Arianna moved closer to him suddenly, pressing into his side. "I'm glad I made that wish," she murmured, and the Prince couldn't stop his smile.

* * *

"Is everyone still good for a picnic?" Tyler called as he walked into the kitchen. "Great way to clear our heads," he smiled as he saw their stressed expressions.

"Yeah, I'm in. For sure," Shelby nodded.

"Thanks for the invitation, but I'm still trying to figure out a plan to find a Purple Ranger," Kendall declined.

"I'm helping Ms. Morgan," Riley shrugged. The two left, and Tyler glanced to Teddie.

"Sorry dudes, I'm gonna help too. This unbonded Energem is dangerous," she reminded them.

"So uh, four it is," Tyler glanced to Koda and Ivan. Koda groaned, clutching his stomach. "Koda? Are you okay?" Tyler noticed the discomfort in his friend's face.

"No go," Koda shook his head. "My stummy hu-" he stopped, and abruptly ran off.

"I keep telling you that eating nothing but burgers ain't healthy Koda," Teddie called after him.

"What about you Ivan?" Tyler asked as the knight worked on the grill.

"Uh, alas, no, I'm covering Chase's shift so he can spend time with his lady of the surfboard," Ivan declined as well. Teddie arched her eyebrow, and glanced to Shelby.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me," Shelby's eyes widened at Tyler's words.

"You and me, alone?" she clarified. Tyler nodded innocently, and Shelby smiled, trying to act cool.

"Yeah, sure," she nodded.

"Cool," Tyler smiled, walking off, and Teddie snorted.

"Let me guess what your wish was," she said to the Pink Ranger, who threw fries at her, blushing. "Just, be careful Shelby," Teddie couldn't bring herself to laugh as she brushed herself off.

"Seriously, what is your problem with wishes?" Shelby pressed, seeing that Teddie was still wary.

"Wishes don't always come true in the best way," Teddie warned her cryptically. "Sometimes they go bad. So just be careful," she told Shelby, who frowned.

"That's crazy. How do you know that?" she asked.

"Because once a wish went so bad that the world almost lost everything," with that, Teddie went to find Kendall and Riley to help them with a plan. Shelby frowned, watching her leave, and sighed. While she took Teddie's words seriously, and wondered just what had happened, the excitement of the picnic with Tyler took the main focus in her mind.

* * *

Kendall and Teddie walked into the cafe later on, both exhausted but still working.

"Hello, Ms. Morgan, Teddie," Ivan greeted them as Kendall sat down, not looking up from her tablet. "Well, have we found any perspective Purple Rangers?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"Not even close," Teddie sighed, sitting down with a drink.

"Finding a hero is proving to be harder than I thought," Kendall complained.

"And a lot of wannabe heroes are already at SPD," Teddie added, sounding tired.

"Well, even in my day," Ivan lifted another chair from the table. "Those worthy of joining the Knights of Zandar were truly rare," he pointed out.

"Reassuring," Teddie grumbled, making him smile in amusement. Kendall looked around, realising that he was alone, save for two other waitresses.

"Well, Chase and Olivia are at the beach," Kendall rolled her eyes. "Tyler and Shelby are on a picnic-"

"Tyler and Shelby are alone?" Kendall suddenly smiled in amusement. "Like a date?" she asked, and Teddie couldn't help but grin as well.

"Yes!" Ivan's eyes lit up and he smiled. "I suppose it is like a date," he realised, chuckling as he stood again and grabbed the mop.

"Bet that was Shelby's wish," Kendall smirked, before pausing. "And Koda got his burger. Olivia got Chase to go surfing, and Arianna and Philip have vanished..." she considered. "Ivan, what was your wish?" she asked him curiously.

"Oh, the same thing every knight asks for," Ivan sighed with nostalgia. "To help a damsel in distress," the two girls at the table smiled at his nobility. Suddenly, the waitress who was on the ladder cleaning above fell as the ladder wobbled, and Ivan dropped the mop instantly and moved to catch her.

"Thanks Ivan," the girl smiled with relief. "You're my knight in shining armour," she sighed. Ivan set her down gently, making sure she was steady.

"And you, my lady, have made my wish come true," he spoke softly. "Now can you kindly go scrub the grill?" Ivan requested. The girl's smile faded a little and Teddie couldn't stop herself from laughing as the waitress walked away. "Is something funny, Lady Teddie?" Ivan asked her.

"Dude, you have no idea," the White Ranger giggled. The Knight was the object of a lot of girl's affections, particularly the two waitresses who worked with them, and most of their regular female customers would aim to sit in his area. Ivan looked blank, before Teddie glanced up as Kendall stood abruptly.

"Ms. Morgan? Wherever are you going?" Ivan asked her curiously.

"I know it's crazy, but I'm going to wish for a Purple Ranger," Kendall decided, and Teddie's eyes widened.

"Ms. Morgan!" she groaned, following her out as they both missed Ivan flinch, a pain starting to make itself known.

* * *

Koda groaned loudly as Riley worked on the computer. The Green Ranger tried to ignore him, until Koda leaned against him, still whining in discomfort.

"How you doing, Koda?" Riley sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get any work done.

"Tropical Burger, bad idea," Koda whined, making Riley laugh. Ivan walked in, letting his Energem fly to the Crystal Beds, and flinched again as he pulled on his coat.

"What's the matter with you?" Riley frowned, looking up at him.

"I believe I may have injured my back by helping a young lady," Ivan admitted weakly as he managed to get his coat on. Before Riley could question it, they heard arguing. "Oh, seems Chase and Olivia are back," Ivan commented as Nerida appeared down the slide and barked, running over to Ivan with her tail wagging.

"I can't believe you broke my board!" Olivia slid into view right before Chase, both letting their Energems fly away.

"Your _board_?!" Chase repeated, and coughed. "I almost drowned out there!" he snapped.

"Because you didn't listen to me!" Olivia growled. "You thought you knew better! You're lucky Nerida's a strong swimmer," the dog wagged her tail at the mention of her name.

"What happened to you guys?" Riley frowned at them, interrupting their arguing.

"Well Chase here decided he wanted to learn how to surf, and I was showing him," Olivia started.

"Shouting at me isn't showing me," Chase grumbled, earning a glare.

"And the genius decided to hit a wave way too big for him and went under, and my board broke in the process," Olivia threw her hands into the air, and they saw the snapped board behind them.

" _Almost_. _Drowned_ ," Chase repeated slowly, emphasizing his words. The door then opened, and they looked around to see Arianna and Philip walk in, looking exhausted. "And where'd you two run off to?" the Black Ranger questioned as they sat down.

"We were chased around Amber Beach for the last three hours," Arianna complained.

"I've never seen that many photographers without an organised meeting," Philip sighed as Arianna leaned into him, supporting each other in their exhaustion.

"What?" Riley frowned, but Arianna saw Olivia's board and frowned.

"What happened to you two?" she asked, and the Black and Forest Rangers started to argue again about whose fault it was as the doors slid open and Tyler and Shelby walked in.

"Hey, I'm glad you guys are here," Riley cut through the arguing. "We really need to talk about-"

"Our wishes?" Shelby finished for him.

"How'd you know?" Riley asked.

"They both came true, before they went bad," Tyler complained.

"Wait, really?" Chase asked, and closed his eyes. "Oli, please tell me you didn't wish I'd try surfing," he pleaded. Olivia looked away, trying to look innocent.

"You guys made wishes?" they jumped as Ari walked in with her skateboard. "What happened?" she questioned, her voice deceptively calm.

"There were these wishing cards in the park," Tyler started with a shrug.

"Koda's wish came true when he tried one, and then so did Olivia and Arianna's, so we thought we'd give it a go too," Shelby nodded. Ari was quiet, not looking at them.

"But it seems that all the wishes made, have gone really badly," Riley summed up. Ivan's eyes widened.

"Ms. Morgan," his mutter made them all look around to see his horror. "She's about to make a wish to find a Purple Ranger," he announced.

"Get out there and stop her before something far worse than a couple of minor wishes happens," Ari told them immediately. They nodded, rushing out as Arianna stayed behind, looking worried. She glanced to Ari, who put a hand to her face.

"What's wrong?" Arianna asked her softly.

"Just...hoping this doesn't turn out like the last big wish," Ari replied, her voice quiet and filled with something Arianna had never heard from the woman. Fear.

* * *

"Ms. Morgan, really, maybe we should talk this one over with everyone first," Teddie pleaded as she followed Kendall to the stall with wishing cards.

"There's no time, Teddie," Kendall shook her head. "The Purple Energem has been unbonded for far too long, we cannot risk it landing in the hands on Sledge or his monsters," she pointed out. Teddie hesitated, still worried as Kendall asked for a wishing card.

"But Ms. Morgan..."

"Teddie, it'll be fine," Kendall told her as she wrote down the wish.

"Kendall!" they looked up to see the Rangers running towards them.

"Go see what they want, will you?" Kendall sighed as she finished writing down her wish. Teddie groaned, and walked towards the group. All yelling at the same time, it was a garbled mess, and Teddie hadn't a clue what they were saying.

"Dudes, what's wrong?" she asked, walking out onto the road.

"Teddie!" Chase yelled as the White Ranger heard the loud horn of a truck and looked around in surprise. She froze as she saw a truck hurtling towards her, but before she could move, someone else grabbed her and pulled her to safety. Teddie stared up with wide eyes as the truck blazed past, with the driver yelling abuse out the window at her, but she didn't even register it.

"You could have been hit," she breathed as she stared at the young man with bright blue eyes smiling at her. "Thank you," Teddie swallowed as he helped her straighten up.

"You are very welcome," he smiled as he let her go, backing up. "Now, pay attention and stay out of traffic," the man winked at her as Teddie swallowed nervously, wondering if Kendall's wish had come true as well. He watched her for a moment longer, then turned and walked away as Kendall caught up to her.

"You okay?" she asked her, and Teddie nodded.

"I'm fine. That guy...saved me," she tilted her head, watching the strangely clad man who wore a long coat and goggles around his neck, with a streak of blue in his hair.

"He's my wish," Kendall breathed. "Excuse me!" she called, and the young man turned around in surprise.

"Teddie!" Chase called he and the others got across the road.

"I'm okay," Teddie managed, not looking away from her hero. Kendall approached him carefully.

"This may sound strange, but there's something I'd like you to hold for me," she requested.

"Ms. Morgan," Teddie stood beside her, looking torn. The stranger had saved her life, but on the grounds of a wish, she was worried.

"What is it?" the man asked curiously.

"Here," Kendall held out the Purple Energem. The others all began to shout, trying to dissuade her, but right before he could take it, blasts suddenly flew at them and slammed into the ground by their feet. The group were tossed to the ground, groaning in pain as they heard a laugh.

"Yes! An Energem! My ticket out of here!" Wish Star cheered excitedly as he held the Purple Energem up to the light. Teddie felt a strange energy run through the air, but as she looked up, she saw the man who'd saved her rushing off, but missed seeing his hand glowing blue. "My wishes never fail me!" he taunted.

"I hope you're right," Wish Star gasped as Fury approached with a low growl. He held up a wish card, having written on it. "I wish for you to explode!" he yelled, throwing it at Wish Star. The card exploded multiple times, battering the monster and throwing him through the air, forcing him to let go of the Purple Energem. Fury caught it in his clawed hand, and laughed loudly. "This is the beginning of the end for you, Rangers!" he declared as the Rangers watched in horror. He then turned and left, leaving them to fight Wish Star.

"Hey, that was my Energem!" Wish Star whined as he watched the feline alien leave. He then shrugged, and sighed. "But I can still impress Sledge by destroying the Rangers," he considered, laughing again as the Rangers stood up.

"It's Morphin' Time!" Tyler yelled as they stood together. "Dino Charger!"

"Ready!"

"ENERGISE, HA! UNLEASH THE POWER!"

"What?! All nine of you?!" Wish Star gasped, not having realised all the Rangers were there.

"Dinosaur might, ready to fight!"

"Power Rangers..."

"Dino Charge!" Wish Star gulped as he backed away, beginning to regret his decision to fight.

"Dino Steel, Armour On!" the seven called on their weapons as Philip and Ivan braced themselves. The group then ran at Wish Star, who lifted a wishing card and laughed as he wrote on it.

"Look out Rangers! My wish is your command," he warned, and held up the card. "My wish is for you all to fall at my feet!" Wish Star declared, and held up the card to the air. It shimmered, and the Rangers all felt as if the ground shifted beneath them, and they stumbled, falling to the ground.

"What's happening?" Tyler cried as they tried to get back up, only to fall again.

"He's using his wishes," Teddie groaned as she slipped and banged her helmet against the ground.

"This is rather annoying," Philip complained.

"I'll put an end to this witchcraft!" Ivan pushed himself up and stumbled but remained standing, and leapt at Wish Star. He raised his sabre, but before he could land a strike, Wish Star grabbed another card and laughed.

"I wish you'll miss me," the monster sang, holding up the card. Ivan's blade swerved, missing him by miles. "Take this!" thrown off by his miss, Ivan was unable to dodge Wish Star's strike, and the monster hit him in the stomach with his staff. The Gold Ranger was forced off his feet, landing with a cry. "Hey Rangers, try my bamboo blast!" he fired more attacks from the staff, but Koda managed to get up and blocked it with his shield. The hits slammed into Wish Star, who cried out and fell backwards.

"Awesome Koda!" Olivia cheered, making the Blue Ranger smile as they all got back to their feet.

"Let's do this!" Teddie cheered.

"Weapons combine!" as Shelby, Riley and Koda combined their weapons, and Tyler and Chase did the same, Teddie passed Olivia her swords and turned to Philip.

"Care to try?" she offered her Dino Charger to him.

"It would be an honour," the Graphite Ranger accepted it with a bow of his head. Wish Star went to grab another card, and let out a cry of horror.

"I ran out of Wish Cards!"

"Fire!" the four weapons unleashed their attacks, and Wish Star was pelted by several blows. He landed on the ground, rolling along with a groan as smoke rose from his body.

"I have another wish!" Tyler smirked. "Weapons combine!" he shouted, and they let their weapons form the Dino Spike.

"Red Ranger, launch!"

"Dino Spike, Final Strike!" Tyler slammed into the monster, cutting through him with a powerful finishing blow.

"This isn't on my wish list!" Wish Star wailed as he collapsed, exploding.

"Awesome!" Tyler cheered, bouncing on the spot, but a moment later the green light of the Magna Beam burst down from the sky and returned Wish Star, enlarging him.

"This star's about to shine!" Wish Star declared with a laugh as they backed away from his feet.

"It's time for us to summon Zords!" Tyler, Philip and Chase summoned the Ankylo, T-Rex and Pachy Zords to form the Megazord.

"Dino Drive Activate!" they summoned the enhanced powers, and faced Wish Star.

"I don't need Wish Cards to crush you! My power will _bamboozle_ you!" Wish Star declared as he ran at them.

"You're not even trying with these puns," Philip commented.

"Pigs will fly before you beat us!" Tyler called as they blocked the attacks easily, and swung out a counter attack with the Pachy Zord's wrecking ball. He grunted in pain, and they then punched him with the Ankylo Zord.

"Vivizords!" Wish Star wailed as he was being pummelled, and they were suddenly restrained by the monsters.

"What?! No! They're so strong!" Tyler complained as they struggled against the monsters.

"Ptera Lightning Blitz!" they were released as the Ptera Zord flew overhead, blasting the monsters. He slammed past them, attacking the monsters with the wings of the Zord and completely freeing the Megazord.

"Thanks Ivan!" Tyler grinned. "Take this!" with a powerful kick, they knocked the monsters into Wish Star.

"No!"

"Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball, Final Strike!"

"I wish they hadn't done that!" Wish Star cried out as they finished him off with the powerful attack, and he exploded as they cheered over another victory. However, it didn't last long as the truth sank in. They might have defeated Wish Star, but they'd suffered a deep loss at the same time.

* * *

"We lost Purple Energem..." Koda murmured sadly as the Rangers walked back into the base.

"Well, if we had not made those wishes, none of this would have happened," Ivan sighed, feeling guilty.

"Wishes are an alluring thing," they glanced to Ari, who was sitting nearby looking at a picture. "Sometimes you can't resist that pull. It happens to the best of us. Don't blame yourselves," she told them with a wry smile, looking up.

"You've made a wish before?" Riley asked with an arched eyebrow. Ari nodded.

"A long time ago, and it was one of the biggest mistakes of my life," the Rangers were quiet, wondering just what she meant. "It was back when I was a Mystic Force Ranger fighting the Master and his followers. We'd really only just discovered magic, and all it's wonder," Ari straightened up and looked at the group. "We got lazy and reliant on magic, and because of it, we lost our friend Jenji, a cat genie," she explained.

"A cat...genie," Philip repeated, struggling to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

"Basically our uncle," Chase spoke up.

"Jenji is _not_ my brother, Chase," Ari shot him an irritable look. Despite the mood of the room, Chase smirked very slightly, and Ari rolled her eyes. "The point is, a wish was made, that the Mystic Force Rangers never existed," she continued her story.

"But...you here?" Koda tilted his head.

"What happened?" Olivia asked as she took a seat.

"Dark magic took over the world. Good magic was wiped out completely, the Ninja Academies were destroyed and my mother..." Ari looked away, her expression haunted. "Thankfully we learned out lesson, and were able to reverse the wish, but I've never relied on wishes or magic since," she sighed, thinking back to the darkness and misery of the worlds.

"I'm sorry...it's my fault," Kendall looked away.

"No, Kendall, that's why I'm telling you this," Ari shook her head. "Everyone makes mistakes. To know that a wish will come true if made, it's a powerful thing. But once you've made the mistake, you've learned an important lesson," she smiled at the group. "That the only way to succeed is through hard work, and the will to continue trying and never give up," she told them, and the depressed air lessened over them. "But...now we have to deal with the repercussions of this. Sledge has the Purple Energem," she reminded them.

"If Sledge can control the power of that Energem, he could build a weapon with frightening strength," Kendall warned.

"There's only one way to solve this," Riley sighed as they all stood together.

"Let me guess. Logic?" Tyler managed a small smile.

"Teddie?" Arianna noticed the White Ranger hadn't spoken since they'd arrived. She was looking down at her hands, looking thoughtful. "Teddie?" she tried again. The White Ranger didn't answer.

"Teddie!" she looked up at Chase's raised voice.

"What?" she blinked, not understanding why they were all looking at her.

"You alright?" Shelby asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Sure I am," she forced a smile.

"Well, you were almost hit by a truck, and you didn't have much time to recover before the fight," Riley pointed out.

"What?" Arianna put her hands to her mouth. "Are you okay?" she asked in horror.

"I'm fine," Teddie smiled at her, reassuringly.

"Yeah, that guy really saved your butt," Tyler agreed. Teddie fell quiet again, looking down. Chase snorted, and she shot him a glare.

"I've got it!" Riley gasped. "Okay, so when Sledge comes to Earth, he expects to find us and fight, right?" he looked to the team.

"Well, this _is_ our planet," Olivia arched an eyebrow, not seeing where he was going with this.

"Okay, well then we have to go to the one place he won't expect us to be," Riley suggested, and they frowned, not understanding. Chase's eyes widened as he caught on.

"To his _space ship_?" he clarified. Riley glanced away, knowing what he was saying was crazy. He could see it in everyone's expression.

"Exactly," he confirmed. Nobody spoke, trying to take in the absurdity of the plan, and how much it made sense.

* * *

 **And just one chapter left of this story!**

 **Hope you liked it!**

 **Please review!**


	24. One More Energem

**And onto the last chapter of Dino Charge!**

 **Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter 24: One More Energem

Nobody spoke, seeming to be holding their breaths as they watched the small robot wheel through the base. It moved around without problem, moving straight towards the table. With the clawed hand, it lifted a rag up, revealing the Red Energem.

"Red Energem, found," it announced.

"My word, it barely even hesitated to locate the Energem," Philip commented in surprise as the robot wheeled back to Tyler to present him with the Energem.

"It worked perfectly," the Red Ranger grinned happily.

"And that is how Get-Bot is going to find the Purple Energem on Sledge's ship," Kendall smiled proudly.

"You've outdone yourself with this, Ms. Morgan," Ivan praised her, and the young woman blushed.

"I had help," she shook her head, and as if on cue, a loud snore echoed through the base, making them look around. Nearby, Spencer and Bridge were fast asleep, leaning against each other and snoring. "I'd never have managed to get it done so fast without their help. We were up all night," Kendall couldn't help but yawn. She knew they'd need something and fast, and the two technical geniuses of SPD had volunteered themselves immediately at the idea of a challenge.

"Yes, but..." Riley lifted the robot up. "How do we get it into a transport pod so Get-Bot could get up there?" he asked her.

"Sledge has an Energem now, I have a feeling we're gonna see him sooner rather than later," Chase reminded them of their loss, and the whole reason for their crazy plan.

"The dude was powerful before," Teddie shivered as she remembered their first real encounter with the bounty hunter. "Now with an Energem, he's gonna be even more so. He'll be after our Energems soon," she pointed out.

"We need to counter Sledge's moves with everything we've got," Kendall told them.

"You're a team of nine," Ari lifted the Get-Bot from Riley and studied it curiously. "You're Power Rangers. No matter what happens, you'll win," she told them confidently.

"I know you're trying to build our confidence but..." Shelby looked uncomfortable.

"Dudes, you've been fighting Sledge's monsters for months now," Ari pointed out. "You can take this guy. Just remember, confidence is good, overconfidence is a burden. You've got this," she told them. The computer's alarm suddenly beeped, making them look around.

"What's going on?" Spencer jolted awake as they all gathered around the computer behind Kendall.

"Transport Pods are entering the atmosphere," Kendall looked over the readings, watching multiple pods heading towards the Earth. She looked up with a nervous smile. "Here's our chance," she announced.

"Let's go," Tyler called to the team, and they ran out with Kendall, leaving Ari, Arianna, Spencer and Bridge. The latter two rubbed their eyes, still looking confused.

* * *

Arriving in the forest where Kendall had found the pods to be aiming for, the Rangers were Morphed and ready for a hard battle.

"These are the coordinates," Kendall warned as she looked around. Her heart was beating wildly; she was rarely involved in a fight, and this was one of the most dangerous fights possible.

"But I don't see any pods," Shelby frowned as she cast her gaze around the clearing.

"Uh..." Teddie swallowed. "That's because you're not looking in the fight direction," when they looked at her, she pointed up, and their eyes widened as they saw multiple pods heading right for them.

"That's...a lot," Olivia gulped.

"Keep them distracted," Kendall instructed as they watched the pods flying. "Ivan and I will work around to the rear and plant Get-Bot in a transport pod," she told them, slipping away with the Gold Ranger.

"Be careful," Tyler warned his team as the pods began to land. "They've got an Energem. It's a whole new ballgame," he swallowed, nervous just like the rest of them.

"Incoming," Chase called. They looked up again to see a figure flying towards them, who landed so forcefully that they felt the tremor through the ground. Teddie swallowed as she felt the power that came with the tremor.

"Surprise!" he raised a gun with the Purple Energem attached, and fired. A blast slammed at the feet of the Rangers, but instead of hurting them and throwing them back, the purple light travelled and wrapped around the Rangers, locking them in place.

"Can't...move..." Tyler struggled, putting all of his strength into fighting the hold, but even it wasn't enough. He managed to move a little, which was more than the rest of them.

"I'm starting to see why you Rangers have been so tough to beat," Sledge mocked as he admired his blaster. The Purple Energem shimmered, but not the same way as the Ranger's own Energems. "These Energems are pretty powerful," he considered as more monsters approached, standing behind him. The Rangers continued to struggle, and Teddie saw Kendall and Ivan sneak past towards the transport pods.

"Come on..." Teddie struggled, but was completely powerless without the ability to move.

"Want to know how this is gonna play out?" the armoured alien asked softly as he approached Tyler at the head of the group. "First, I'm going to take the Red Energem," he announced, reaching out towards Tyler, who continued to fight furiously. Sledge laughed, knowing they were at his mercy, only for a blast of golden light to slam into him. Sledge roared in pain, struggling against it, but was finally thrown through the air.

"Master Sledge!" Fury roared as the others rushed to his side, but he shoved them away.

"Who dares to attack me?" Sledge demanded furiously as smoke rose from his armour.

"That would be me," Ari approached with an indifferent expression. Sledge snorted as he took in the woman in jeans cut off at the knees and a hoody, not looking the least bit intimidating.

"You..." Fury snarled.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Sledge asked, sounding amused.

"Don't! He's too strong!" Tyler pleaded with Ari as she stood in front of him.

"Master, she's the Legendary Golden Warrior," Fury warned as Ari stood tall. She wasn't anywhere near as tall as the bulky alien leader, but somehow she seemed it at that moment.

"Oh? Now that's interesting," Sledge chuckled, suddenly interested. "You have quite the bounty on your head for your infamy," he considered.

"Oh, I'm famous," Ari drawled with mock excitement, moving into a fighting stance. "You might have an Energem, Sledge, but you'll never call on its full power," she warned, and snapped her fingers. Golden light wrapped around the monsters standing with Sledge, restraining them. "Now, I'll ask you nicely. Hand over the Energem," she asked.

"Hah! Try and take it!" Sledge challenged her.

"No! He's too strong!" Teddie shouted, horror filling her at the idea of her mum fighting the powerful monster. Ari however, didn't reply, letting her golden armour surround her, and lifted her sword.

"You'll be a perfect addition to-" before Sledge could finish, Ari was punching him in the stomach and shoving him back.

"Master Sledge!" Wrench yelped, but still couldn't move. Sledge gave a small chuckle as he felt the dent in his armour.

"Now that's a hit. Maybe you'll be a better fight than these fools!" he rushed at her, firing several blasts. Ari deflected them with her sword, but the force knocked the blade from her hand, and it impaled the ground at Philip's feet, making his eyes widen.

"Call to the beast inside!" Ari called as a golden aura surrounded her. "Uncage the Sparrow!" the bird rose from her form and flew at Sledge as Ari ran at him, punching him across the face before she was forced to back away as he recovered and fired a blast that would have hit her had she not practically bent over backwards. The Sparrow flew at him, slamming into Sledge to hit him hard enough to knock his next shot off course. It hit a tree, completely destroying it.

"You're not bad," Sledge commented as she jumped back and faced him. The bird spirit circled above as Ari shrugged.

"I've been training since I was a kid. It helps," she told him.

"You really will fetch a hefty price," Sledge chuckled, suddenly firing into the air. The spirit shrieked in pain and vanished as the purple blast cut through her chest, and Ari stumbled, a hand to her chest as if the attack had hit her instead. Sledge saw an opportunity and fired at her, but Ari streaked out of the way and tossed several energy balls at him, which just seemed to bounce off his armour. She then ran in and leapt into the air, spinning a kick that he blocked with his arm, denting the armour there too. Shoving her back, Ari landed on her feet, but stumbled.

"Mum!" Teddie yelled, and Sledge glanced around. He then began to chuckle low, and turned to the Rangers completely.

"Defend them from this!" he roared, firing a blast. Ari was in front of it in an instant, glowing brightly. Her shield raised, blocking the hit. Sledge just roared with laughter as Ari fought to keep her shield up against the power of the Purple Energem, but knew she didn't have the power to stop it. The golden shimmering light began to crack as Ari sighed, knowing it was going to hurt. Her shield shattered as it was overwhelmed, and she cried out as the power slammed into her.

"No!" the Rangers yelled as Ari landed in a heap in the grass, her armour shattering. The golden light holding Sledge's minions in place faded as Ari began to glow, healing her wounds.

"Not even a legendary warrior can stand up to me!" Sledge laughed arrogantly, drunk on the power. "Take her back to the ship," he ordered his monsters, who hauled Ari to her feet. The glowing faded as she was jerked around.

"Not again," Ari complained as she was dragged away, blood running from a wound on her head.

"No..." Teddie whimpered, her eyes closed as tears stung at them. They were so helpless.

"First, I'm going to take the Red Energem!" Sledge turned to Tyler, and slammed his hand against his chest. Tyler choked, and his suit rippled before Sledge pulled back his hand, holding the Red Energem. The purple light around him faded, and Tyler collapsed to the ground, his suit shattering. The pods nearby took off, shooting off into space, and the Rangers were forced to watch.

"One down, eight to go," Sledge approached Koda, but before he could steal his Energem too, Tyler punched him hard. Sledge cried out, tossed to the ground, and the light faded from all of the Rangers, freeing them.

"We're free!" Koda breathed in relief, before the Ptera Zord flew in with a shriek.

"What?! A Zord!?" Sledge snarled as he got back to his feet.

"Hold on dude!" Teddie and Chase grabbed Tyler, and the Rangers leapt up into the Zord as it flew overhead.

"No!" Sledge yelled, but they were gone before he could stop them.

"Ivan, thanks," Olivia smiled. "Great timing," she told him.

"Is everyone okay?" Chase asked, and they nodded.

"I brought this," Philip held up the large sword that was very heavy, even when he was Morphed. He had no idea how Ari had moved so easily with it.

"Mum's sword," Teddie murmured.

"Without that she can't use her Shining Sun Attack," Chase frowned.

"Kendall, where's Kendall?" Koda asked as they realised they were missing the scientist.

"Ms. Morgan, are you there?" Riley tried to contact her, before they heard beeping on their consoles.

' _Rangers, I'm in one of Sledge's transport pads! I'm going after Ari_!' she told them as the video shook wildly.

"What?!" the Rangers yelled, but before they could do anything, thunder boomed and the sky went pitch black as a monster appeared, roaring loudly. The shockwave threw the Ptera Zord off, making them all stumble.

"It's a giant monster, and it could destroy Amber Beach," Ivan realised.

"We gotta stop it," Tyler frowned, unmorphed.

"But we have to rescue friends," Koda reminded him, and Tyler's frown grew. He then nodded, knowing what to do.

"Okay. Let's split up. You use the Dino Charge Megazord to destroy that monster. Shelby, Philip and I will take the Plesio Zord and try to get to Sledge's ship," he decided.

"But-"

"Please, Teddie," Tyler stopped her before she could protest. "I know you're worried about your mum, but trust me on this. You guys are needed here," Teddie glanced to Chase, who was just as reluctant to stay behind. Her eyes closed, knowing Tyler was right. They needed the power, and Chase was the unspoken second in command for when Tyler wasn't there.

"Just...be careful guys," she pleaded, and Tyler gave her a determined smile.

"Summon Zords!" they summoned the T-Rex, Raptor and Para Zords, and Tyler, Shelby and Philip handed over more Chargers each for help if needed. Summoning the Plesio Zord, the three Rangers headed off into space after Kendall and Ari.

"Here it comes," Chase warned as the Greenzilla monster roared furiously, approaching them.

"It's a little bigger than what we've fought before," Olivia swallowed. They could all feel the power radiating from the monster.

* * *

On Sledge's ship, when the pod opened and the monster approached to pull Ari out, it cried out as it was tossed into a wall, and Ari landed, cracking her neck.

"Haven't needed to heal so much in a long time. I'm sleepy," she complained, looking around. "Now, to find the Purple and Red Energems and get off this heap," Ari walked through the ship, using her stealth to her advantage.

* * *

The Rangers cried out as the Greenzilla slashed across their front with a clawed hand, and they staggered backwards.

"This power is insane!" Olivia groaned, clinging to her console.

"We need to try another formation!" Ivan suggested.

"Great idea," Chase agreed. They summoned the Ptera Zord again, letting it change into its Megazord formation. With a shriek, the two Megazords combined, and after taking another hit, they took to the air.

"Compo Sabre!" they went to attack, only for tentacles to wrap around the Megazord. The monster roared loudly, and slammed the Megazord to the ground. They were then lifted into the air, and slammed down again.

"We can't take too many more hits like that bro," Teddie warned.

"Come on, the others are depending on us," Olivia reminded, helping Chase back to his feet. "Come on, we need you," she told him softly, and he nodded.

* * *

"Let go of me!" Kendall snarled as Vivix shoved her along.

"Not a chance," Wrench sneered. "Things are about to heat up for you!" he laughed.

"I think things are gonna get a lot hotter for you," Wrench let out a yell as Ari landed behind him, kicking him to the ground.

"Ari! Are you alright?" Kendall asked as she ran to her side, and Ari leaned on her.

"If I'm honest, not really," she admitted, exhausted. "Don't tell Xander, I'm not normally like this in front of people..." Ari chuckled.

"I see you made your way quite far through the ship," the door opened as they were surrounded, and Sledge walked in. "And with a friend too! I would have considered putting you in Solitary, but we currently have a guest in there," he laughed.

"Follow me!" Kendall suddenly threw a carton of acid down, and it spilled out, eating through the ground. The two leapt down, landing on a lower floor.

"Hey! Where'd they come from?!" the blue guard cried out in alarm.

"Kendall, stay behind me..." Ari got back to her feet, but Kendall shook her head.

"No, this time I'll help you," Kendall told her as the two monsters fumbled for their weapons. Ari tried to stop her, but Kendall rushed at the monsters and used a wrench to fight off the two quickly. However, they were far stronger than her, and shoved Kendall into Ari. They fell back, before a strange energy filled the room. Light flooded from the pocket of the hazmat suit Kendall had been wearing, and she lifted out the Purple Energem.

"She has the Purple Energem!" the two monsters scrambled away in fear as the light spread up Kendall's arm, and transformed her into a Ranger.

"It chose me?" she gasped, unable to believe it.

"About time," Ari couldn't help but laugh. "I've been waiting for it to do that for a while," she grinned. Kendall blushed at her words, but couldn't stop her excited smile. She then cut through the two monsters attacks, flooring them.

"So this is what it feels like to be a Ranger!" Kendall laughed, before the doors slid open and Shelby ran in, blasting the second monster as it tried to get up.

"Ari!" Tyler called, before freezing as they realised who was also there.

"The Purple Ranger?" Philip breathed.

"I knew you'd be the perfect Purple Ranger," Ari laughed as Kendall supported her. "But I guess you were the only one who didn't see it Kendall," she teased.

"No way, _Kendall_?!" Shelby demanded.

"Yeah, it's me alright," Kendall laughed.

"Oh, my sword," Ari reached out for the sword Philip was holding, but drew back. "Uh, you're probably stronger than me right now. Though you must have some serious strength to be able to carry it that easily," she grinned.

"How on earth do you carry such a thing?" he questioned. Ari laughed.

"First time, a lot of anger. After that...a lot of training," she told him. "But I don't think that matters right now..." Ari commented, right before the alarm blared loudly. "Let's go," the group hurried out.

* * *

The Megazord finally managed to get to its feet, and the Rangers breathed heavily.

"Come on guys! Let's mix it up!" Chase called.

"Activate Dino Charge Megazord, Ankylo-Pachy formation!" the Rangers all shouted together, summoning the other two Zords. As they faced the Greenzilla monster again, Chase tried contacting their friends. "Guys, did you find them?" he asked.

' _This is Ms. Morgan_ ,' Kendall answered, and Chase double-took.

"Wh-what?!" he cried in alarm as he saw the Purple Ranger on screen.

' _We've got Ari, and should be off the ship in a few minutes_ ,' Kendall told him, seeming oblivious to the shock.

"Ms. Morgan, you're the Purple Ranger?" Teddie couldn't help but laugh.

' _Yes. We're on our way_ ,' Kendall told him, ending the link.

"Dude, what?" Teddie laughed, shaking her head as the others were just as stunned.

* * *

Tyler was forced to hide separately from the others as Sledge and Wrench approached, and they were forced to keep moving through the cells.

"What on earth?" Philip looked around with wide eyes.

"Sledge is a bounty hunter," Ari looked around, tired. "I guess he's been collecting a lot over the last 65 million years," she commented.

"Shelby, Prince Philip!" they looked around as Tyler ran up to them. "Sledge is using the Red Energem to power the ship's lasers. He's planning to destroy the Megazord," he warned them. They stared at him in alarm.

"Come on, we've got to warn them," Shelby went to move again, but Tyler stayed where he was. "What are you doing? We have to go!" the Pink Ranger called, running over to him.

"I have to find the Red Energem," Tyler shook his head, taking a step back. "It's the only way to stop Sledge," he insisted. The alarm started to blare loudly overhead, and the door began to shut.

"I'll come with you," Shelby insisted, but Tyler shook his head.

"No, the Rangers are going to need the Plesio Zord, and all the Ranger strength we can find," he told her, and smiled softly. "This way I can keep hidden too," he pointed out, and vanished in front of her.

"Tyler!" Shelby cried, but the doors shut before she could try to follow him.

"Shelby, he'll be fine," Ari told her, approaching her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, he's as resilient as his dad. Come on, we need to go," she managed to guide Shelby along, and they kept moving through the cells. The monsters roared and yelled at them, but as they passed one cell, Ari stopped.

"What's wrong?" Philip asked, having been supporting her. Ari had gone pale, her eyes wide as she looked around.

"Darkness...there's something...bad here," her gaze settled on the door to the solitary confinement cell. A golden eye shimmered out from the darkness, and she looked away as a bead of sweat ran down her neck. "Let's go," she told them quickly, and they nodded.

"This way, we can get to the Plesio Zord through here," Shelby called, only for their path to be blocked by more monsters.

"Urgh, guards," Ari grumbled. "At least the ship's not..." she paused. "Uh, let's not jinx that," she considered.

"You're not going anywhere! That's three Energems for Master Sledge!" the monsters laughed.

"Wanna bet?" Kendall lifted her sword as Shelby raised her blaster.

"I guess since you're helping and all," Ari reached and touched Philip's arm, making his eyes widen. The sword suddenly felt a lot lighter in his hands. "Just a touch of power, I need the rest to remain conscious," she told him.

"You're a very strange person," Philip told her, before turning and slashing across the monster that rushed him. It roared in pain and fell over.

"And you've got some skill with a sword. Want to be more like Sir Ivan, maybe?" she commented, and Philip felt his face start to warm.

"I see where Teddie gets her attitude," he commented lightly, making Ari chuckle.

"You're not wrong. Low behind you," as if her words had command over him, Philip turned and swept low with the sword, taking out another monster as Shelby blasted the last of them. "You'll make a decent swordsman yet. Come on. The others need you," Ari told the three, walking past.

"Is there anything normal about her?" Philip asked the two, still holding the sword in his hands.

"Not that we've seen," Kendall shook her head.

"Heard that. We leaving this dump or what?" Ari's voice echoed through the corridor.

* * *

"Chase, we're coming!" Kendall called as the Plesio Zord hurtled back to earth.

"Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball!" Riley called. They lashed out with the powerful weapon, but it bounced harmlessly off the monster's scales and slammed into them. The monster then blasted them, and the Rangers sank to their knees, exhausted.

"It so strong," Koda whimpered.

"They're counting on us," Chase tried to get up, but his legs failed and he fell backwards.

"It's too strong, none of our attacks can cut through it's armour," Teddie gripped her console, but was mostly on the ground already. They tried once more to get up, only to be hit again. They were ejected from the Megazord, landing on the ground, right before the Plesio Charge Megazord landed nearby.

"Look! Plesio Charge Megazord!" Koda smiled in relief. Ari landed nearby, and immediately fell to her knees.

"Mum!" Teddie and Chase ran over to her as the Megazord fought against the Greenzilla and battered it.

"That Prince better give me my sword back after this," Ari chuckled as they helped her up. "Tyler stayed up on Sledge's ship to get the Red Energem back. Sledge is planning on using it to power a new weapon," she warned them.

"Then we need to help him!" Teddie exclaimed.

"Yeah we do," Chase nodded. "Plesio can handle Greenzilla till we get back. Let's go guys," they ran off as Ari sat back down in the grass, watching the fight.

"Ari!" she glanced up in surprise as Xander sprinted towards her, followed by Spencer, Arianna and Bridge. "Seriously, why can you never just stay behind?!" he demanded, falling down beside her and hugging her tightly. Ari hugged him back, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Old habits die hard, I'm sorry Xander," she apologised softly, and he helped her up. As the Plesio Megazord fought the Greenzilla monster, the others flew in the Ptera towards the ship. They saw it jolt violently.

"Oh dude, what is Ty doing there?" Teddie put her hands to her mouth as the ship began to fall, hitting the gravitational pull of earth and hurtling towards the planet.

"Something insane!" Chase laughed, and they spotted the Red Ranger falling from the ship. They flew under him, and Tyler landed in the cockpit in alarm.

"You do like to live dangerously, Sir Tyler," Ivan commented lightly in amusement.

"What danger? I knew you guys would be there for me," Tyler brushed it off lightly.

"Yeah, that might be believable, had we not heard you screaming," Olivia teased, and Tyler went red under his helmet as the rest of the group laughed.

"Sledge's ship has crashed," Ivan contacted the others. "We've got Tyler, and we're heading your way," he declared. They began to glow, and landed in the Plesio Megazord cockpit.

"You got your Energem back!" Shelby smiled in relief as the group of ten stood together.

"Absolutely," Tyler grinned at her. "And Sledge is history," he declared, having seen the ship crash. He clapped his hand to hers.

"Tyler, you had all of us scared!" Shelby scolded him furiously. "I can't believe you ran off alone!" she shouted.

"As my dad used to say, it's all part of the adventure," Tyler grinned unapologetically. "We've never been stronger. Let's finish that monster and end this for good!" he called to the other Rangers.

"Activate Plesio Charge Megazord Pachy-Rex formation!" Kendall called, summoning the two Zords to join with the Plesio Megazord. They combined, forming a much stronger Megazord.

"Dinosaur Might, ready to fight!"

"Time to take down this last monster!" Tyler cheered as the Greenzilla's attack bounced off their much stronger armour. They punched the monster, making it roar in pain.

"Pachy Zord Wrecking Ball!" the monster roared as the weapon slammed into him, this time doing damage. It lashed out with more tentacles, but the Rangers were ready this time, catching them. They ripped the tentacles from the monster, and it screamed.

"Let's do this!" Teddie cheered, punching the air.

"T-Rex Blast!" they fired a powerful blast of energy from the T-Rex Zord's mouth on their chestplate.

"Three...Two...One...Galactic Blast!" with one final attack, they destroyed the Greenzilla monster.

* * *

"Dude, I could sleep for a year after that," Teddie complained as the Rangers returned to base where the others were waiting for them.

"You and me both," Ari agreed, leaning back in her seat.

"Are you okay?" Teddie asked as she and Chase rushed over to her.

"Course I am," Ari soothed the pair, and flinched as Xander's fist pressed to her head.

"And she won't be doing something as stupid as this again, _right_?" he frowned at her as she rubbed her head. Ari just nodded.

"I'm just glad you're all okay," Arianna smiled, walking over. Philip immediately reached out and took her hand, squeezing it lightly.

"And I can't believe you lot were crazy enough to go to the ship," Spencer chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned against the console.

"Yeah," Bridge agreed with a grin. "I mean it was crazy enough for Ms. Morgan to go, then Tyler would have been next since he'd lost his Energem, then I guess-"

"Bridge," Spencer frowned at him.

"Oh, right. I agree with Spencer. It was crazy," the Red Ranger nodded with a smile.

"Yep, Tyler is normal compared to this dude," Olivia decided.

"Hey," Tyler frowned at her, and Olivia shrugged.

"I don't know about you dudes, but I'm exhausted," Teddie yawned widely, holding out her hand. The White Energem flew back to her.

"Yes, we'll reconvene in the morning," Kendall nodded. The group began to shuffle out, with Ari still apologising to Xander for running off and getting caught up in the mess.

"I can't believe it's really over," Olivia commented as Chase took her hand.

"Me neither," he admitted. "Doesn't really feel like it. I mean, I never even got a-" he was cut off as Olivia tugged him round to kiss him fiercely.

"Gross!" Teddie yelled.

"I agree," Riley nodded.

"I uh..." Chase stammered, not too sure what to say as Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"What, you were going to say a victory kiss, right?" she smirked at him, glad she was able to render the confident young man speechless.

"Like I said, _gross_!" Teddie yelled as they vanished out.

"I'm not quite sure what I should do with this," Philip looked down at the sword in his hand.

"I'll take that," Ari walked back and lifted it from him with ease, walking away. Philip watched her with a baffled look, before looking to Arianna as she laughed.

"You'll learn to stop questioning her," she told him.

"I see," Philip nodded slowly, still confused. "I'm not too sure when, after all..." he trailed off as Arianna let his hand go and turned to him completely, reaching up as he leaned down to close the gap in a soft kiss. Suddenly very nervous, he hesitated before resting his hands on her waist as hers landed on his chest.

"I'm glad you're safe," Arianna spoke quietly as she drew back, blushing as he didn't let her move very far away. "I was so scared, when you went with Shelby and Tyler onto Sledge's ship," she admitted, her eyes swimming with the fear she'd felt.

"Arianna," he touched her cheek, making her look at him again. "I will always return to you, I swear it," he vowed, and she smiled, her face going even redder.

"I'm glad," the Mercurian girl whispered, and let him close the gap once again. They were interrupted by someone clearing their throat, and drew back.

"As sweet as all this is," Teddie spoke, a hand over her eyes. "We need to leave, and this _is_ Koda's home. Let the poor caveman get some sleep," she pointed to his cave nearby.

"My apologies," Philip nodded, reluctantly releasing his hold on Arianna. He then took her hand and kissed it lightly. "Until tomorrow, then," he told her, and Arianna smiled, pulling him closer to kiss him properly again.

"See you tomorrow," she whispered, letting go and rushing off. Teddie sighed, turning and walking off with her eyes still covered.

* * *

Kendall held out the Purple Energem, still barely able to believe it had bonded to her, and watched as it flew off to join the others in the Crystal Beds.

"Ten of the Energems have been returned. Thank you Rangers," Keeper smiled gratefully to the group standing together. "Koda, Ivan, Teddie, and of course Kendall, will help me find the last two," he told them.

"So will I," Ari stood with three.

"With Sledge finally gone, the rest of you can return to your lives, and do whatever you like," Kendall told them group, who were all prepared after discussing it.

"Until the last Energem is found, you will remain bound to your Dinosaur spirit," Keeper told them.

"And if there's ever any trouble, we'll let you know," Ari told them.

"It was an honour to fight beside all of you," Philip spoke first.

"The honour was ours, your highness," Ivan told him with a bow of his head. "I'm going to miss you, one and all," tears shone in the Gold Ranger's eyes.

"Dude, we're not that far away," Chase grinned.

"Yeah, these two losers are heading to Briarwood, that's just a bus ride away," Teddie gestured to Chase and Olivia, who shrugged.

"What? I wanna learn about magic and stuff," Olivia defended as Chase took her hand.

"And meet the family," Teddie sang. Olivia went pale.

"Ohh, rough," Shelby hissed, joining in as she linked arms with Teddie.

"Yeah, good luck," Tyler grinned.

"I believe you may need it," Philip added in.

"Oh god...what did I agree to," Olivia panicked, and Chase shot them dirty looks as they started to laugh loudly.

"My family!" Koda wailed, running over and grabbing Tyler and Shelby in a tight hug. The others laughed, and embraced in a big hug to say goodbye.

As they all left, Ari stayed behind in the lab, turning to the Crystal Beds. The 10 Energems shone brightly, but there was still room for two more Energems, and the gap remained obvious.

"It's not over yet," she murmured, reaching out and touching the Gold Energem. It shone even brighter at her touch, and she grinned. "Not by a long shot."

* * *

 **Don't worry, the Rangers will be back soon enough with Dino Super Charge: Roar of the Ancients. There's still loads to go, with a _hell_ of a lot of changes included.**

 **Thanks to everyone who read/favourited/followed/reviewed this story. You're all amazing, and I hope you've enjoyed Prehistoric Rising!**

 **Also, I plan on using my Twitter account: FallenArcana, for more fanfiction related things, so if anyone wants to check that out, go ahead!**

 **Thank you all, and I hope you continue to enjoy this series!**

 **Please review!**


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